“Greece is present in the discussions on all major issues of international interest and intervened,” Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis said in a statement after completing his visit to the United States and his address to the United Nations Security Council on environmental crisis and the emerging food crisis.

As Mr. Gerapetritis mentioned, we will have the opportunity to welcome in mid-April, within the framework of the Our Ocean Conference in Athens, important figures from the field of environmental protection, important political figures, “precisely to declare that now it must be undertaken immediate action, so as to stop the degradation of the environment and especially the marine environment, the increase in water levels, the increase in temperature, which leads to a major crisis for all environmental ecosystems”.

In addition, as he noted, he met with a number of country representatives to promote Greece’s candidacy as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2025-2026.

“The Greek candidacy has been received with a great and positive attitude. We estimate that we will have a significant support from all the countries of the United Nations Organization. “Greece is highly regarded thanks to the principled foreign policy it follows,” he noted.

He also recalled that he met with the Secretary of State of the United States Antony Blinken, where the extremely high level of bilateral relations was confirmed, while the major threats at the level of regional and international security were also discussed.

He also met with the Secretary General of the United Nations, with whom he had “a special discussion, not only on the major issues that concern the planet, but also on the major issue, which concerns the Cyprus issue”.

“Both the Secretary-General of the United Nations Organization and the Secretary of State of the United States have heard Greece’s position that this is an important opportunity so that we can have renewed discussions between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot community,” said Mr. Gerapetritis.

“This is an important opportunity which should not be missed and I have asked both the Secretary-General and the Minister to offer their good offices so that progress can finally be made on the issue – which has been going on for fifty years – in the framework of the decisions of the United Nations Security Council”.

Besides, he added, “I had the opportunity to discuss in tanks thoughts about the Greek candidacy to the Security Council, about Greece’s positions in the international arena, about foreign policy.”

“Greece has a permanent presence, it has a strong international diplomatic capital. We will be present in all international discussions with the aim of always global stability, the promotion of our country’s positions and world peace”.

As Mr. Gerapetritis underlined, Greece is a maritime country.

“It has a duty, not only to its position as a leading force in maritime commerce, but also to its crews, who often serve in adverse conditions, to provide protection.”

“This symbolism is also found in the choice of our country to be present in the peacekeeping forces, both the peacekeeping force, which has been formed by a group of countries under the leadership of the United States, as well as the European force. For us, the protection of maritime traffic is an extremely crucial issue, both for people’s lives and for maritime trade, and for there not to be a food crisis on the planet.”

Besides, he added, “our position in relation to the Middle East is very clear. Within the framework of the principles that govern us, the hostilities should finally stop, there should be a productive solution within the framework of the decisions of the Security Council, this ongoing humanitarian disaster should finally be stopped, the hostages should be released”.

In this context, he reminded that on Thursday he will welcome the Palestinian Foreign Minister in Athens.

“The situation in the Middle East is reaching the limits of humanitarian disaster and it is the duty of all of us to contribute positively so that it stops as soon as possible,” he concluded.