The Foreign Ministry stresses the following in response to today’s announcements from political parties regarding the situation in Syria and Greece’s stance:
The field of foreign policy is not suitable for the exercising of opposition. In fact, the deliberate distortion of the official positions expressed by the Foreign Minister – on behalf of the government and in addressing the international community – is a failure to rise to the circumstances prevailing in our wider region.
Greece condemned and condemns, in a clear and absolute manner, the crime of the use of chemical weapons. Greece insists on the need to safeguard the political process – the Geneva II conference – with the aim of a definitive and viable solution to the tragedy in Syria.
Our country’s stances are formulated based on international law; respect for human rights; defence of national strategic interests in a region with many open fronts; the need to synchronize our stance on other critical issues, such as stability in Egypt; concern for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, all the Christian populations, all the people, regardless of faith; our country’s obligations within the framework of the UN, the EU, NATO and our bilateral agreements.
Neither participation in military operations nor the provision of facilitations has been requested of Greece.
During his recent briefing of the competent Parliamentary Standing Committee on the whole range of foreign policy issues, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos stressed his readiness to brief the Committee continuously and stated that he is at the disposal of the political parties for individual briefings whenever they are requested.
September 1, 2013