Consensus on Defense Reduction

Turkish Defense Minister, Vecdi Gonul, and his Greek colleague, Spilyos Spilyotopulos met on Monday as part of the European Union (EU) Defense Ministers Meeting held in Brussels. The two ministers said that they reached a common understanding on constraining defense expenditures. Gonul pointed that in Europe, only Turkey and Greece reserve five percent of their national income for defense. He said: "We came to an agreement to direct these resources toward education, health, development and increasing the welfare of the countries". The Greek Minister meanwhile announced that Greece would reduce its armament budget by 25 percent over five years. The Minister pointed out Turkey’s cancellation of three military contracts and its US$10 billion reduction in armament expenditures. He said the two countries henceforth trusted each other.

Meanwhile, the process of surveying meetings towards a solution of the Aegean Problem between Turkey and Greece is continuing. Serious improvements were reportedly made in the meetings, but a final point could not be reached yet. According to reports, Greece feels uneasy about a compromise achieved at this point because of some ‘political anxieties’.

The Vima newspaper published in Greece had claimed earlier that the Kostas Karamanlis administration halted the signing of the reconciliation because of concerns about its political bill. Diplomatic sources stated that, at this point the Turkish side has showed a political will for a solution of the problem. The compromises achieved during the surveying meetings between both sides are reportedly causing political uneasiness on the Greek side. It is said that the Karamanlis administration did not show the required willpower for a reconciliation. The prior administration led by Simitis did not take the risk either though, saying at the time: "The administration who will come after the elections should make a decision on this".

Turkish Foreign Affairs sources said that the surveying meetings were going on and that the Foreign Ministry Undersecretary, Ugur Ziyal, would fly to Athens after a short time. It is reported that the Greek side showed a more flexible and compromising attitude about the Aegean and Cyprus problems.