“Now that the election cycle is over, our attention is again turned to current affairs, international and domestic. I don’t need to tell you how much we are concerned about developments in the Middle East and unfortunately for this escalation of the conflict which has as its first victims civilians from both sides after the horrific murderous attack inside Israel by Hamas. Unfortunately we also have the significant loss of human life in the Gaza Strip”said the Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the dialogue he had with her Katerina Sakellaropoulou during their meeting today at the Presidential Palace.

The prime minister said that in all his international contacts he has emphasized on the one hand Israel’s right to self-defense and on the other hand the need to do so with absolute respect for the rules of international law and with absolute respect for the protection of human life in the Gaza Strip.

“It is extremely important to restore humanitarian aid to Gaza from Egypt. European countries are working in this direction and support this policy,” he continued while adding that he will have the opportunity to be in Cairo in two days at a multilateral conference and to convey Greece’s views there.

The prime minister said that our country has claimed and won its role as a pillar of stability in the region and we are everyone’s interlocutors and the first country that wants the de-escalation of tension.

Regarding the domestic issues, Mr. Mitsotakis said that the government is still sticking to its reform agenda and that yesterday the cabinet had very important interventions, solving outstanding issues from the past and facing new challenges, emphasizing the improvement of the functioning of the state.

The prime minister added that the government announced the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Committee with Professor Konstantinos Daskalakis as President. On this he noted, among other things, that artificial intelligence opens up new horizons and at the same time creates a series of threats that we must manage.

The President of the Republic taking the floor, he publicly congratulated those who were elected and those who participated in the self-governing elections. “Now is the time for a lot of work in collaboration with central management to make planning for the future as good as possible.” underlined.

“Abroad, after the great crisis in Ukraine, we had a flare-up in the Middle East, which is particularly worrying”, he continued noting that the situation does not show the prospect of a positive development. Mrs. Sakellaropoulou emphasized that the humanitarian aspect comes first and that human life is above all and wished for peace as soon as possible.

He also said that he is happy for the government’s initiative to set up a committee on artificial intelligence which, he stressed, is a great human achievement but we also see the dangers.

The full dialogue between the PtD, Katerina Sakellaropoulou and the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis

KYRIAKOS MITSOTAKIS

“Now that the election cycle is over, Madam President, our attention is again turned to current affairs, international and domestic. I don’t need to tell you how worried we are about the developments in the Middle East and unfortunately about this escalation of the conflict, which has civilians as its first victims. Civilians on both sides, after the horrific, murderous attack inside Israel by Hamas.

Unfortunately we also have the significant loss of life in the Gaza Strip, which is why in all my international contacts I have emphasized on the one hand Israel’s right to self-defense, on the other hand the need to do this with absolute respect for the rules of international law and with absolute respect in the protection of human life in the Gaza Strip. It is extremely important to restore humanitarian aid to Gaza from Egypt, and European countries are working in this direction and supporting this policy.

I will have the opportunity to be in two days, on Saturday, in Cairo at a large, multilateral conference, which Egypt is convening on the Palestinian issue, in order to convey Greece’s views there as well. Greece is a country that has claimed and won its role as a pillar of stability in the region. We are interlocutors with all governments, we honor our strategic alliances, on the other hand we are reliable interlocutors and obviously we are the first country that wishes for the de-escalation of tension, because, obviously, this will primarily affect the eastern Mediterranean basin.

Beyond that, in domestic matters, the government continues and insists on its reform agenda. Yesterday we had a cabinet with very important interventions, on many different fronts, solving outstanding issues that come from the past, but also facing new challenges, always emphasizing the improvement of the functioning of the state and the stimulation of development dynamics.

Finally, I would like to inform you about an important initiative that we had the opportunity to announce today, because I am also aware of your personal interest in this issue. We announced an artificial intelligence commission chaired by distinguished professor Konstantinos Daskalakis, which will advise the government at the highest level on the country’s AI strategy.

Artificial intelligence opens new horizons, which we could not even imagine. However, at the same time, it also creates a series of threats, which we must manage. And it is necessary for our country to have a national strategy in this field, whether we are talking about the regulatory framework, which will certainly be formed at the level of the European Union, or we are talking about the way in which we will utilize the extremely important human resources, the Greek human resources potential active in this area. Because I have to tell you that in a recent survey that I saw, Greek scientists are overrepresented globally in the field of artificial intelligence.

I think you will also have the opportunity to be informed in more detail about the work that this committee will do and obviously about its findings.”

KATERINA SAKELLAROPOULOU

“I would also like to take this opportunity to start by publicly congratulating all those who were elected in the municipal elections, but also all those who participated for the struggle they fought. Now is the time for a lot of work from everyone, in local government always in collaboration with the central administration, with the government, to plan for the future, as best as possible, in all the areas that are in need, and of course in those that have been affected , mainly in Thrace and Thessaly.

Now on foreign affairs, after the great crisis which unfortunately continues in Ukraine, we have had the flare-up in the Middle East, which is particularly worrying. The situation is relatively recent and we do not see any prospects for positive development at the moment. The humanitarian part comes first, no discrimination should be made based on religion or ideology, human value and human life are above all. I understand all that you mentioned, about the very good relations and the influence that our country has and the role that it can play in any peace effort, that is the most important thing. I wish the best, may there be peace in the region as soon as possible, so that everyone can live with dignity. I wish, because right now things are indeed very worrying and difficult.

I am happy about the initiative you mentioned on artificial intelligence. It is a great conquest of man and we see the great offer, but at the same time the dangers, that it can create for human value, even for democracy. There are too many issues, so it is very good that our country monitors them to the best extent it can. Mr. Daskalakis, as well as the other scientists I briefly saw, are very important. It is also important to have an institutional framework as soon as possible. Efforts are already being made in the European Union to control the side effects and make the best use of the positive ones.

Let’s hope for the best.”