Russian aggression is a strong reminder that the revisionism is a major threat to international peace and order and should not be tolerated or encouraged“Wherever he comes from,” said Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias in joint statements with his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares. after their meeting in Madrid.
Also, Nikos Dendias, as he mentioned, informed his Spanish counterpart about the recent unprecedented increase of Turkish violations of Greek airspace and overflights over Greek islands and stressed that such provocative behavior does not only contradict the fundamental principles of International Law, but it also undermines the cohesion of the NATO Alliance.
We are committed to upholding the principles of International Law, including UNCLOS, to which all EU Member States and the European Union are parties. And which specifically underlines that islands have full rights to sea zones, something that is dear to Greece and to Spain.
– Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) May 5, 2022
In particular, regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the two foreign ministers re-condemned any act that violates international law and undermines the international order based on rules. Such actions need a strong response and a unified response, Nikos Dendias stressed and reminded that Greece and Spain, together with EU partners and countries with similar views, have supported Ukraine and have imposed restrictive measures on Russia. “We call on the non-aligned EU candidate countries to do exactly the same,” he said.
Following the discussion on Ukraine, the two Foreign Ministers emphasized the diversification of energy sources and addressed a wide range of issues, starting with bilateral cooperation. Focusing on bilateral relations, Nikos Dendias noted that it has expanded significantly in recent years and that there is concrete progress in their economic cooperation. Spain is one of the most important buyers of Greek products in the Eurozone, but Spain is also a very important investor in Greece, he said.
We tried to have a joint reading with 🇪🇸 on the crisis in 🇺🇦 & the consequences of 🇷🇺 the invasion & on issues that concern us, such as immigration, the situation in North Africa, especially in Libya & the challenges that η 🇷 faces from Turkish delinquency. pic.twitter.com/s1GyXt2oOu
– Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) May 5, 2022
The Foreign Minister made special reference to the commitment of the two countries, the EU Member States and the EU to International Law and International Maritime Law. “We are committed to upholding the principles of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which all EU Member States and the European Union are party, and which specifically emphasizes that the islands have full rights in the maritime zones, something that is important for Greece and Spain “underlined Nikos Dendias.
Nikos Dendias also highlighted that the two countries are strong partners in UNESCO, especially in terms of cultural heritage.
Other areas of bilateral co-operation include contacts between the two peoples, education and culture. In this context, they discussed the extension of Spanish language teaching in the Greek education system.
Furthermore, the cooperation between the two countries in the EU was also on the agenda, in view of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU next year, while a separate report was made by the Forum of the Mediterranean Countries of the European Union (EUMED9), with Nikos Dendias characterizing it as important and in line with Spain’s will to be strengthened.
They then discussed the issue of migration and refugees, with the Foreign Minister reiterating that the EU must stand united against the instrumentalization of migration flows.
The two foreign ministers also reiterated their support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans.
As for NATO in the run-up to the Madrid summit in June, Nikos Dendias and Jose Manuel Albares spoke of the need to maintain and strengthen its unity, given the current security situation.
In addition, they discussed developments in North Africa, including Libya.
The meeting ended with the signing of memoranda of understanding for political consultations and cooperation in the field of diplomatic education. “I am also glad that today we have taken concrete steps to strengthen the ties between the two Foreign Ministries,” said Nikos Dendias, who expressed confidence that this would give impetus to the development of stronger and deeper relations between the two countries, including new opportunities for more cooperation in international forums. He made special reference to the bilateral cooperation in the UN, stating that the two countries have agreed to mutually support their candidacies for a position in the UN Security Council.
It is noted that this is the second visit of the Foreign Minister to Spain, after his visit to Madrid in July 2020, while it follows the visit of his Spanish counterpart to Athens in December 2021.
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