"The Greek-French defence agreement has irritated Turkey," Alternate Foreign Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis said on Monday in an interview with SKAI TV.
Varvitsiotis said the agreement was a great success for Greek foreign policy, which is changing the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean.
He pointed out that with this agreement, Greece is sending a message to all quarters - and especially to the Greek people - that it is not prepared to leave its national sovereign rights unprotected.
The Deputy Foreign Minister also commented that the negotiation of this defence agreement with the largest EU military force could only now be concluded, despite the fact that all Greek governments have eagerly sought it for many decades.
Varvitsiotis said this was achieved thanks to the Greek prime minister's requesting to put the mutual assistance clause on paper with such clarity to French President Emmanuel Macron at the recent EUMED Summit in Athens.
Regarding the ratification of the Agreement on Thursday, he stated that it would be strange not to have the unanimous approval of the Greek Parliament, as this would send the wrong message to everyone.
"We want the signal to be sent from all parties at all levels," the minister said, adding that all those who do not vote for the agreement essentially want the front that Greece can create when it receives any threat to be of limited scope.
READ MORE: SYRIZA: No Greek family wants their child involved in French operations in Africa.
