Greece has made clear it will not join a proposed European naval force to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, even as France and other European partners push for broader engagement in the Persian Gulf amid escalating tensions with Iran.Greece not joining Hormuz naval force Athens cites existing deployments as Paris pushes for broader European engagement Greece has made clear it will not join a proposed European naval force to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, even as France and other European partners push for broader engagement in the Persian Gulf amid escalating tensions with Iran. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis reiterated the state’s position on the matter. “There is no question of our country’s involvement in an operation in the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. “We participate only in Operation Aspides, with the aim of guarding ships in specific areas.” Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, speaking in Brussels on the sidelines of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council, echoed that position. “It is not Greece’s intention to get involved in the war,” he said, adding that Athens supports “the free movement of all ships in the broader region” and is calling on Iran to respect international maritime law. Gerapetritis also noted pointedly that only two EU member-states – Greece and Italy – have sustained Operation Aspides, the European mission covering the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, for two consecutive years. The remark was widely interpreted as a rebuke to partners now pressing Athens for additional commitments. On the sidelines of the Brussels meeting, Gerapetritis also held talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, discussing maritime security. India, which faces significant exposure to any closure of the Strait of Hormuz, is itself in discussions with France about potentially joining a naval escort force. The French proposal differs fundamentally from a parallel American initiative. Where the European concept envisions an escort and protection mission, the American approach, driven by President Donald Trump’s administration, aims at the destruction of Iranian vessels and direct support for military operations against Iran. Greek officials argue their armed forces are already stretched. Greece has deployed long-range Patriot missile batteries on Karpathos and in northern Greece, positioned two frigates in the Eastern Mediterranean to protect Cyprus, and maintains a third frigate in Djibouti for Operation Aspides. Diplomatic exchanges between Athens and Paris were described as intensive last Thursday and Friday, as France anticipated that Washington would eventually seek direct European military involvement in the conflict. --- Original source: https://www.ekathimerini.com/politics/foreign-policy/1298254/greece-not-joining-hormuz-naval-force/
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