The event, as he pointed out, “strengthens the ties that accompany our national existence itself, as the Greek revolution coincided with the wave of emancipation of your own countries as well.”
Greek-Latin American and Caribbean relations “have strong roots in the past, are already flourishing in the present and will become more and more fruitful moving into the future”, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a video message he sent to the event themed “Latin America and Caribbean Day organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Their core, as the prime minister pointed out, is “the prosperous Greek communities that are scattered throughout the continent, but also our common adherence to the same values: Democracy, national independence, inviolability of borders”.
The event, as he pointed out, “strengthens the ties that accompany our national existence itself, as the Greek revolution coincided with the wave of emancipation of your own countries as well.”
The Prime Minister noted that Greece already cooperates with the countries of the region in international bodies, from the United Nations to the Forum of Ancient Civilizations, while contacts are intensifying on a bilateral level as well.
As he recalled, relatively recently the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andreas Katsaniotis was in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Mexico, in the first meeting after 25 years of Greek communities in South America. He was accompanied by an echelon of the Greek Parliament. He also expressed his own desire to visit the area.
“Our expatriates there honor both their homelands, while the Greek government, for its part, makes sure to facilitate them through the consular authorities”, underlined Mr. Mitsotakis. He noted that our digital language learning platform works in Spanish and Portuguese, while he mentioned that the two sides are working to boost trade, especially in tourism.
“Oceans and seas may keep us apart, but we are brought together by the great history of our places, the traditional friendship of our peoples and the need to respond together to the great challenges of our time: the defense of international peace and security to the protection of the environment in our common home, planet earth,” he concluded.
M. Schinas: We play in the same team and we are a strong team
Tangible proof of the great importance attached to the tightening of cooperation with the region, not only Greece but also the European Union as a whole, the vice-president of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, described the event in a video message.
“Since the beginning of the term of the current European Commission, one of our main goals has been the revival and strengthening of the “other” transatlantic relationship,” he emphasized.
“When we talk about cooperation with the other side of the Atlantic, we are not only looking to the North, but also to the South of the American continent. A part of the world that – although geographically far – is so close to Europe in terms of language, culture and civilization,” he noted. “We are connected by common values and a common way of life, which is a model for so many other parts of the world, based on the principles of universal freedom, human dignity and equality.”
“Our relationship is based on unwavering defense of an international system based on rules and human rights. And in our common commitment to the search for multilateral solutions to the major problems of our time, which is today more imperative than ever”, he underlined.
He recalled that together, the EU, Latin America and the Caribbean gather more than a third of the votes in the United Nations and number seven members in the G-20. “Together, we can have a huge impact on global decision-making,” he noted.
“Russia’s illegal and senseless war of aggression against Ukraine has brought us closer together,” he said. “In the global South, Latin America is the region that has most actively defended the UN Charter and the territorial integrity of Ukraine, both in UN General Assembly votes and in other international forums.”
“We play in the same team and we are a strong team” he underlined, and emphasized that the last meeting at ministerial level between the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (EU-CELAC) last October, is proof of the enhanced cooperation which the EU aspires to have.
He also pointed out that the war in Ukraine underscored the need for greater strategic autonomy in energy and security matters in both regions.
“I am absolutely confident that our partnership will continue to expand and deepen.” he emphasized.
“Europe and Greece, as well as Latin America and the Caribbean, have much to gain from closer cooperation, joint targeting and coordinated action at the international level,” he concluded.
I. Pipinis: Cooperation to preserve our common principles and values
We confirm the relations of friendship and respect that have always existed between Greece and Latin America, noted Iason Pipinis, advisor to the Prime Minister, on Latin American issues.
“I have always believed that Latin America should come to the fore and Greece should also look in this direction,” he said and pointed out that the government in 2019 showed its priority for Greece’s rapprochement with Latin America and the Caribbean. “Never before has a government shown such interest in the region,” he noted.
He underlined the centuries-old friendly ties that are beneficial to both sides and stressed that Greece encourages cooperation between the EU and Latin America.
“We must work together to preserve our common principles and values,” he concluded.
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