Greece: "Hellas Stream pipeline will improve relations with Russia" - Kammenos

Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos spoke about the proposed pipeline from Russia and Turkey saying that "we should go on with the signature from Hellas Stream, which is going to be an extension to Turkish Stream," speaking from Athens on Friday, adding that "Greece is going to be a node for energy transfer". Speaking at the Economist's 19th Roundtable with the Government of Greece entitled 'Europe: The Comeback? Greece: How resilient?' taking place over 14 - 15 May, Kammenos spoke against the trade embargo between the EU and Russia, stating that "Eighty percent of our agricultural products is exported to Russia. Twenty-five percent of our tourism comes from Russia. Also Greece's air-defence system is from Russia and with this embargo we cannot maintain these systems." The Greek Defence Minister, founder of the anti-austerity ANEL (Independent Greeks) party, which serves in the ruling coalition alongside Syriza, spoke on the alternatives to depending on the EU, saying that "already we are in cooperation with China at Piraeus port,"