It is a great pleasure to welcome you to our city, Athens, today, following the meeting we had in Rome a few weeks ago. As an initial statement, I would like to emphasize that Greece has stood and continues to stand by Lebanon.
Allow me to remind that we responded immediately to the needs of Lebanon after the devastating explosion in the port of Beirut about a year ago. Actually, we were the first country to offer rescue teams and humanitarian aid the very next day.
Besides, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kostas Fragogiannis was the head of the Greek delegation. And the Mitsotakis government - I also want to be clear on that - is committed to further supporting Lebanon.
Dear colleague, we are going to contribute to supporting the Greek Orthodox Hospital of Saint George in Beirut.
We also considered our country's contribution to the reconstruction of the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In early September, a team will travel to Beirut to draw up the relevant reconstruction plan.
Furthermore, we discussed the possibility of Greece financially supporting the University of Balamand and I am glad that you think this is something that would be of assistance.
We will also attend the international conference on the reconstruction of Lebanon next week. I would like to take this opportunity to express my most heartfelt condolences over the loss of lives in the devastating wildfires in northern Lebanon.
And to add that, if you deem it necessary, Greece is always ready to provide assistance in addressing natural disasters.
At this point, I would like to open a short parenthesis. I would like to extend my sincere condolences and the sincere condolences of the Greek government and the Greek people to the Turkish government and the Turkish people, over the loss of lives caused by wildfires in the region of Antalya. Peoples demonstrate their solidarity to each other, especially during difficult times.
Yesterday I called the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, my friend Mr. Çavuşoğlu, and I conveyed to him, after consultation with the Prime Minister, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, our readiness, if Turkey deems it necessary, to help in any way we can.
Let me return to the context of the visit and reiterate that we will continue to support Lebanon within the European Union as well.
We were one of the countries that emphasized from the beginning that the new financial aid for the Syrian refugees should not be directed only to Turkey. It should be directed to other countries in the region that host refugees, such as Lebanon and Jordan.
For Greece, the stability and cohesion of Lebanon is a key priority. Lebanon is a friendly neighbouring country, part of our immediate neighbourhood. Further destabilization of Lebanon would have a negative impact on both our country and the European Union.
We also attach great importance to the Greek Diaspora; we attach great importance to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and this interest was underlined by the visit of Deputy Minister Kostas Vlasis to Lebanon a few days ago.
For this reason, we would like to see the challenges Lebanon faces at home and abroad being addressed as soon as possible.
We would like to see the formation of a stable government that will take the necessary steps to receive foreign aid, which is available, and that will lead Lebanon to elections in 2022.
On an issue concerning the wider region, I would like to say that we are also concerned about the destabilizing role of neighbouring Turkey.
I cannot fail to refer to Turkey's illegal declarations on Varosha, which are the most recent example of Turkish illegal conduct in our region; declarations that ignore and are contrary to the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.
It is now becoming clear that Turkey uses every means of destabilization and I do not need to remind anyone that Famagusta is a short distance from Lebanon.
In the face of all destabilizing efforts, we oppose our stance which is in accordance with International Law and good neighbourly relations.
Of great importance is the International Law of the Sea, UNCLOS, which both Greece and Lebanon have signed and ratified.
In order to achieve the goals of stability and prosperity, we will continue to work with the Lebanese government and people, both bilaterally and within the European Union, but I must also say within the framework of the trilateral cooperation schemes.
We agreed with the Minister on the next Lebanon-Greece-Cyprus trilateral summit, which will be held in Nicosia, and we will make sure it takes place as soon as possible.
Allow me, once again, to welcome you with great pleasure to Athens today, dear Minister.
July 30, 2021