Greece Steadfast in Creating Souda Naval Base

With the Ongoing discussions on the new Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) between Athens and Washington, Greece has stayed firm on creating a naval base at Souda on Crete.

The new base is to a part of the efforts of Greece to establish a more permanent presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, Kathimerini reported.

As far as the technical part of the negotiations is concerned, Greece’s most pressing request concerns the integration of the air and naval facilities on the island of Skyros, which the US Armed Forces will be able to use on rotating or a fixed basis.

Skyros stands as Athens’ most important request due to its geography and the strategic position it holds in the heart of the Greek defense.

The final act of the negotiations will be played out on October 14, when Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias will go to Washington to sign the MDCA. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has hinted that the new MDCA will be for five years.

Dendias’ visit to Washington will also coincide, among other things, with the third round of the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue.