Geneva II Conference on Syria - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs in Montreux

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece Mr Evangelos Venizelos led the Greek Delegation to the Geneva II Conference on Syria, held on the 22nd of January 2014 in Montreux. In his intervention Mr Venizelos referred to the traditional ties between the Greek and the Syrian peoples and called both Syrian negotiating parties to show a genuine spirit of constructiveness and flexibility in the negotiations, for the sake of their own country and for the benefit of the Syrian people and future generations. He added that the launching of the “Geneva II” process offers a unique window of opportunity for a political solution of the Syrian crisis, through negotiations, and lent the Greek support to the efforts of the Joint Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi. He also stressed the need for implementation of the Geneva I Communique providing for the creation of transitional governing body in Syria with full executive powers. In his concluding remarks Mr Venizelos enumerated a series of Confidence Building Measures that could be agreed without delay by the two parties. These include local ceasefire, lifting of sieges, exchange of   detainees, protection of vulnerable groups such as children and women.

For the full text please visit the website address of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs.