Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos participated yesterday evening in a working dinner of the EU Foreign Ministers with Russian Foreign Minister S. Lavrov. The meeting provided an opportunity for an exchange of views ahead of the EU-Russia Summit Meeting set for December, in Brussels. Greece firmly supports the promotion and development of relations between the EU and its major strategic partner Russia.
Topics discussed during the working dinner included the EU-
Russian Partnership for Modernization and rule of law, the ongoing negotiations on the EU-Russian New Agreement – in connection with Russia’s recent accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) – energy, visas, and cooperation on crisis management. The foreign ministers also discussed regional and international issues, including Transdniester, Georgia, Iran and Syria.
In his remarks, Mr. Avramopoulos stressed the importance to Greece of further strengthening the EU’s strategic partnership with Russia, to the benefit of both sides. In this context, he noted, speedy conclusion of the New Agreement is vital and will be the cornerstone of EU-Russian relations in sectors such as trade, investments and energy. He also stressed that Greece looks forward to the upcoming EU-Russia Summit, which will strengthen strategic relations and provide the necessary political guidelines for the next steps.
Referring to the Syrian crisis, Mr. Avramopoulos stressed that the problem cannot be resolved militarily. Reiterating Greece’s support for the UN Secretary General’s special envoy L. Brahimi, he pointed up the urgent need to initiate a serious political transition process. He also noted the importance of understanding amongst the opposition forces and – with special reference to Syria’s Christian community – the need to protect minorities. Concluding his remarks, Mr. Avramopoulos expressed Greece’s concern at the recent tension between Syria and Turkey, underscoring that there is a very real danger of the crisis’s spreading.
October 15, 2012