The contacts he had in Brussels and the EU’s relations with Turkey were mentioned in his statements by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giorgos Gerapetritis.

More detail:

“We completed today a very important round of first contacts, which took place here in Brussels. On the first day, we had the EU-Latin America & Caribbean Summit, where we had the very important opportunity to develop our bilateral relations with important countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Peru, which are also crucial in the world economy. All the issues concerning our countries and the wider region were raised.

On Tuesday we had the opportunity to have meetings with the European Parliament and the European Commission at the highest level. In the European Commission we saw the Commissioner for Enlargement, Mr. Várhelyi, and in the European Parliament, the President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr. McAllister. There we had discussions, which primarily concerned enlargement, and in particular the Western Balkans. We confirmed Greece’s position, which is extremely encouraging for Enlargement, 20 years after the Thessaloniki Conference, which set the framework for the Western Balkans’ path towards the European family. The role of Greece, as an accelerating country and a truly critical factor, as a factor of stability in the Western Balkans, was highlighted.

We also had the opportunity to discuss with my counterpart, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia, about issues which precisely concern the enlargement of the Western Balkans.

And, furthermore, to all colleagues and to the European Commissioner and to President McAllister, I raised the very important issue for us of the Mayor of Heimarra, Freddy Belleris, who is being held without trial. An issue that goes back to the rule of law, to the fundamental values ​​of Western legal culture, and for which Greece will do whatever is necessary, so that justice is served.

In addition, this morning I was fortunate to have an extensive discussion with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, where we took stock of the Vilnius Conference and what was raised there. We had the opportunity to see ways in which there will be further tightening of the Atlantic Alliance’s relations with the EU, but also to highlight Greece’s position in these international organizations. I reiterated Greece’s basic position that weapons attributed to countries of the Atlantic Pact cannot be used against another allied country. It is something which is self-evident and which obviously goes back to the alliance relationship itself, which is developed.

And today we had the opportunity, in my first appearance at the Foreign Affairs Council, to discuss a large agenda, which primarily included Russia’s ongoing operation to broker Ukraine. We also heard from the Ukrainian Foreign Minister.

We had a discussion around the issues of EU-Turkey relations. I informed my colleagues in the Council about the discussions we had in Vilnius between the two delegations, the Greek and the Turkish, the steps we are trying to take in order to de-escalate the tension of the previous years and open a positive channel of communication. We, as we have said, will build on this effort for friendship and good neighborliness. It goes without saying, of course, that the relations between Europe and Turkey go through the settlement in our wider region and Turkey’s attitude towards fundamental chapters, such as the Cyprus issue.

Let me point out, by the way, that today is an extremely bad day for Hellenism. It is the anniversary of the Turkish invasion [στην Κύπρο] of 1974. We, I repeat once more, are not going to tolerate any concession in the direction that Turkey is moving today towards the creation of new states. We insist on the solution adopted by all the resolutions of the UN Security Council for a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. We repeated it today. Today, we also had the arrival of President Erdogan at the illegal Tymbu airport. We realize that such actions do not help in the direction of rapprochement and de-escalation. We are not going to accept fait accompli on the field.

In any case, what we should accept is that the path to the European Union passes through the terms and conditions set by the European acquis and, of course, the relationship with Greece and Cyprus.

Finally, I should point out that I participated in the EU Association Council with Bosnia and Herzegovina, a crucial state of the Western Balkans and for stability in the wider region. I participated precisely to highlight the great importance that Greece attaches to the neighboring countries and to the wider stability in our region”.