29 April 1998
[EXCERPTS] DoD News Briefing Tuesday, April 28, 1998 - 1:50 p.m. Mr. Kenneth H. Bacon, ASD PA .................. Q: It was reported extensively in Greece that during his recent visit to Athens DoD Secretary William Cohen discussed with Greek Minister (of Defense) Akis Tsohatzopoulos a kind of a initiative, plan, or proposal for a U.S. collective military presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, including the Aegean. I wonder if it's true, and what was the response of Minister Tsohatzopoulos. A: I don't believe that's an accurate account. Secretary Cohen discussed two initiatives that are ongoing already in the Aegean and in the Eastern Mediterranean. The first are the confidence building measures that have been proposed by the UN Secretary General, Mr. Salona. He urged, both in Ankara and in Athens, that the Turkish and Greek governments embrace these confidence building measures as a way to reduce tensions in the Aegean. You're familiar with those confidence building measures. The second point he stressed was the need to seize the current opportunity presented by the Holbrooke mission to make progress in the Cyprus dispute. Mr. Holbrooke, I understand, will be back in Cyprus later this week or early next week. In both Ankara and Athens, Secretary Cohen said that he felt it was very important that both countries do everything they can to try to reduce tensions over Cyprus, and that this may be an opportunity that does not come up again. So he stressed that. He did not volunteer or discuss any option that would involve an enhanced U.S. military presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, or a U.S.-provided security blanket in the Eastern Mediterranean or the Aegean. He made it very clear that he felt that both Greece and Turkey face an opportunity, historic opportunities, now, to reduce tensions in the Aegean and over Cyprus, and that they should take those opportunities. Q: How did you comment on the report of the Aegean issue by Jane's Intelligence Review, that Pentagon officials were examining a new agenda in the Middle East with Turkey and Israel as key players, and the (unintelligible) all ensuing from a war initiated by Turkish strike on the S-300 missile systems on Cyprus. A: I haven't read that report so I think I shouldn't comment on it, but first of all, as you know, Turkey and Israel have carried out some joint military exercises and we've participated in one of those search and rescue exercises earlier this year. We invited other countries to participate as well. We've discussed the possibility of joint military exercises involving Greece and Turkey and other countries, particularly formed around the creation of a multinational Balkans peacekeeping force, which is one of the initiatives that's come out of the Southeastern European Defense Ministerial meetings that have been held over the last couple of years. We believe that the answer to solving the issues raised by the possible purchase of Russian air defense missiles in Cyprus is that those missiles should not be purchased and deployed there, and the Turks should tone down their rhetoric. We hope that if there is a settlement, which we believe is possible because of Mr. Holbrooke's efforts, that the need for those missiles will disappear. Press: Thank you. (end transcript)
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