Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos meets with the President of the Republic, Karolos Papoulias, at the Presidential Mansion

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos meets with the President of the Republic, Karolos Papoulias, at the Presidential MansionPRESIDENT: How are you? Are you well?

E. VENIZELOS: I’m trying.

PRESIDENT: I followed you in Egypt and was very pleased we got some movement on an issue.

E. VENIZELOS: It really did go very well. And we are trying in general to defend and upgrade the country’s position in a very tumultuous and dangerous region. We did very well in Egypt. This is a mutually accepted and very positive framework for both countries – not just for Greece, but for Egypt, as well – and, I would say, for the Eastern Mediterranean more generally.

In Syria, too, we are trying to help towards a definitive, comprehensive political solution, participating in the main current, of course, of the European Union, because we must have allies in order to achieve major goals.

PRESIDENT: It seems that in the end …

E. VENIZELOS: A political solution will prevail. Let’s hope so. But a lot of factors have to come together for this to work out.

PRESIDENT: Correct.

September 11, 2013