At the UN General Assembly, the most current, the most difficult, the most complicated, and the most painful issue is the crisis in the Middle East. Unfortunately, despite the efforts made so far, it is a crisis that is not shrinking but expanding and spreading. It has already reached the Red Sea and now Lebanon, with the bloody incidents that have taken place in the last two days. I had the opportunity to participate in a meeting on this issue between the foreign ministers of the European Union and the foreign ministers of Arab countries. It was an initiative brought forward by Greece within the framework of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council, to coordinate and explore possibilities for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and the immediate release of hostages.
In addition, I had critical bilateral meetings with my Egyptian counterpart, during which, beyond reaffirming the strategic relationship between Greece and Egypt, we focused on how we could help the situation to limit the conduct of hostilities. Furthermore, I met with the Foreign Minister of Lebanon. Unfortunately, Lebanon is currently at the epicenter of all the hostilities and the death toll in Lebanon is utterly disappointing. I also met with my counterpart from Yemen, because this country is crucial for the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. Unfortunately, a Greek-flagged ship was attacked by Houthi rebels. There was an immediate risk of significant environmental damage. Thanks to the initiative taken by the operation ASPIDES, led by Greece, the ship has been moved to safe waters, and the oil is expected to be pumped out soon to avoid an environmental disaster.
Greece will be a member of the United Nations Security Council for the next two years, having been elected with almost unanimous support from all UN member states. In this context, as provided for in the UN Charter, we will make every effort to promote peaceful resolution of disputes, cessation of hostilities, enforcement of respect for human rights, and limitation of the devastating consequences of all wars.
JOURNALIST: In relation to the meeting that took place earlier with Mr. Erdoğan. What more can you tell us apart from the fact that it was held in a positive atmosphere?
G. GERAPETRITIS: The foreign ministers and diplomatic advisors of the two leaders attended the meeting. Issues of mutual interest were discussed. First and foremost, the existing good cooperation on important issues concerning the two countries was reaffirmed. The need for further collaboration on migration was emphasized, as it remains a significant challenge in the broader region, particularly today, due to the extremely fragile situation in the Middle East and Africa. Topics related to further cooperation between the two countries were discussed, including the Cyprus issue, which is currently in progress and we hope that discussions will restart within the framework of the Security Council’s Resolutions. Moreover, the timeline for the next steps was also discussed.
We understand that the three pillars, the meetings for the political dialogue, Confidence Building Measures, and the Positive Agenda will take place by the end of the year. Furthermore, the High-Level Council will take place in January. In addition, the Turkish Foreign Minister will visit Greece in the near future to prepare for the High-Level Council and coordinate all necessary actions.
The two leaders have instructed the foreign ministers to explore whether there are favorable conditions to start discussions on the delimitation of the Continental Shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone. The positive atmosphere was reaffirmed. Today, more than ever, as we are in a region under constant geopolitical threat and amid two wars, it is crucial to maintain relations based on mutual understanding and good neighborliness.
September 24, 2024