The message that Greece firmly believes in peaceful coexistence and cooperation between all countries in the region, based on respect for international law, the law of the sea and the UN Charter, was delivered by Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, speaking for the first time at the forum. Manama Dialogue “, held in Bahrain. This is the solid basis for good neighborly relations and based on these principles, Greece contributes to regional stability and prosperity, he made clear.
Outlining the triptych on the basis of which Greece contributes to regional stability and prosperity, Nikos Dendias pointed out that he successfully dealt with bilateral issues with all its neighbors, under international law, with the exception of one country. In particular, he recalled that within a year he had concluded international agreements on the delimitation of its maritime zones with Italy and Egypt and that he had agreed with Albania to refer the same issue to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. In this context, he reiterated that Greece’s goal is to address all these outstanding issues, based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and International Law in general.
Greece is building bridges between the Middle East and Europe
Afterwards, the Foreign Minister referred to the regional cooperation schemes that Greece is building together with Cyprus and other countries in the region, sending the message that “we are building bridges between the Middle East and Europe.” “Just 48 hours ago, I hosted a four-way meeting with the participation of my counterparts from Cyprus, Egypt and France in Athens. “And last February, I had the honor of hosting the aforementioned countries, along with three Gulf states, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, under the name ‘Friendship Forum.'”
“These co-operation schemes serve the purpose of promoting peace, stability and prosperity and have the potential to extend from the Gulf to the Indo-Pacific region,” he said. Emphasizing the importance of these partnerships, he said that the aim is to jointly address regional challenges, exchange views and take joint action to address global challenges, such as tackling the coronavirus pandemic, the effects of climate change, the environment. degradation and water scarcity.
At this point, Nikos Dendias reiterated that these multilateral schemes are open to anyone who shares our values and principles, namely respect for International Law and the International Law of the Sea.
Furthermore, Nikos Dendias highlighted the geopolitical importance of the Middle East, pointing out that it is a crossroads of cultures, religions and political interests. However, he also noted that it is an area affected by many conflicts, citing Libya, Syria and Yemen, and noted that in addition to the impact on regional security and stability, they also have serious consequences for the wider region. “Among other things, they create conditions for the development of two very destabilizing factors, immigration and terrorism,” he said, expressing the belief that there is a chance for the region to escape this vicious cycle of violence, insecurity and instability, advocating a vision that embraces its rich diversity and its unique historical heritage.
The Gulf is part of our neighborhood
The third path that Greece follows is the building of bilateral relations with the countries of the Gulf region, as well as with regional organizations, he pointed out. In this regard, he said that in the last two years, the Greek government has invested politically in the Gulf, because the countries that make it up are part of the neighborhood. “And we support that in the European Union,” he said.
More specifically, he recalled the signing of the Foreign Policy and Defense Cooperation Agreement between Greece and the United Arab Emirates, which also contains a mutual aid clause and the development of a Patriot missile array in Saudi Arabia, clarifying that these missiles are a addressing external threats, in particular attacks on civilians. He also mentioned the agreement for political consultations with the Gulf Cooperation Council, the frequent contacts he has with his president, but also his visits to almost all Gulf countries.
Finally, the Foreign Minister expressed his commitment to build on the foundations of the policy he has developed above, expressing the hope that it can be the ground for a wider progress towards conflict resolution.
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