During the ceremony, Simitis spoke by satellite with Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos, the commander of Greek forces in Afghanistan, Major Miltiadis Kollatos, and with Giannis Manousis, mayor of a small Greek island.
Simitis je tijekom ceremonije posredstvom satelita razgovarao s ciparskim predsjednikom Tassosom Papadopoulosom, zapovjednikom grčkih snaga u Afganistanu, bojnikom Miltiadisom Kollatosom, te s Giannisom Manousisom, gradonačelnikom na malom grčkom otoku.