The upgraded role of Greece in the management of the crisis in the Middle East, especially in the issue of the creation of a maritime corridor for the transfer of humanitarian aid, is highlighted in an interview with Bloomberg by the Minister of Foreign Affairs CIorgos Gerapetritis. In fact, he expresses the belief that the negotiations on the creation of the humanitarian corridor for the transport of essential goods to Gaza by sea will soon lead to an agreement. “We are expecting developments in this matter in the coming days”, emphasized Mr. Gerapetritis.

Specifying the contribution of Greece, which is in talks on this issue mainly with France and Cyprus, the foreign minister states that it will provide “humanitarian aid mainly with its merchant fleet”. On the other hand, and should the need arise, our country is willing to send aid by military means, as it did in November, when it sent a C-130 with pharmaceutical and medical supplies to Gaza via Egypt. At the same time, the Foreign Minister acknowledges the difficulty of the undertaking, as at the moment there is no safe port in the Gaza Strip for ships to dock.

“We can live in harmony with Turkey”

As far as Greek-Turkish relations are concerned, the international economic news agency points out that the two countries pledged to strengthen their bilateral cooperation after the recent visit of the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to Athens for the meeting of the Supreme Cooperation Council. “We have learned to organize our discussions in such a way as not to generate tensions or create crises”, commented Mr Gerapetritis.

Referring to the agreements signed in Athens by Greece and Turkey in areas such as trade, tourism, energy and education, the Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasizes the need to implement them. The two countries “must move forward with them by proving in practice that we can live in harmony.”

Bloomberg special report on the rise of the economy

In the Bloomberg article, special mention is also made of the strong upward trend of the Greek economy. Greece is back on the road to growth, it has achieved investment grade and now its economic indicators are “running” at a faster rate than in many other countries. In this context, the government now plans to increasingly focus on foreign policy. “The international capital that Greece has attracted due to its good economic situation is very strong. It often allows us to operate from a position of strength, but mostly to operate with confidence,” said Mr Gerapetritis.

For Parthenon Sculptures: “The discussion with the British Museum continues”

Finally, the Minister of Foreign Affairs refers to the request for the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptors, stressing that Greece’s efforts for their return continue. “We have discussed with the British Museum and the discussion continues”, points out Mr Gerapetritis. However, he makes it clear that things have not yet reached a point where it can be said that the vision of reuniting the Parthenon Sculptures will soon become a reality.