UK rejects Greece's attempt to block missile sales to Turkey: Eurofighters also on the agenda
Greece has failed in its diplomatic efforts to block the sale of Eurofighter fighter jets and Meteor air-to-air missiles to Turkey. After failing to secure results from France, the Greek government has also been rebuffed by the UK, but stated it will continue its diplomatic efforts.
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Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias met with UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey in London. During the meeting, Dendias expressed Greece's concerns regarding the potential sale of Eurofighter jets and Meteor missiles to Turkey, emphasizing that such a sale could disrupt the military balance in the region and threaten Greece's security. British officials rejected Greece's request, stating that they would not block the sale of the missiles to Turkey.
The Greek government continues its diplomatic contacts to prevent these sales from taking place. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on February 11, attempting to initiate a cancellation of the Meteor missile sale to Turkey. However, while Macron acknowledged Greece's concerns, he was unwilling to abandon the sale.
According to a report by the Kathimerini newspaper, Turkey has reached a significant stage in its negotiations with the UK for the purchase of Eurofighters. The newspaper wrote that if an agreement is reached, there will be no obstacles remaining to the sale of Meteor missiles. The report noted that despite neither Turkey nor the UK being members of the European Union, they maintain close cooperation in the defense industry.
The Greek press has alleged that Turkey aims to contribute to its own domestic missile program by examining the technology of the Meteor missiles through reverse engineering. Despite this, France has not taken any steps to halt the sales process.
GÖKHAN MISSILE IN THE GREEK PRESS
On the other hand, it has been claimed that the Gökhan missile developed by Turkey shares similar characteristics with the Meteor. The Greek press wrote that the Gökhan missile is in the testing phase and that the Turkish defense industry is making progress in this field. However, no concrete evidence was provided to support these claims.
Turkey's role in regional security and its position within NATO have been influential in the UK and France giving the green light to these sales. Reports in the Greek media highlighted that despite Greece's diplomatic initiatives, Turkey continues to achieve significant gains in its defense industry.