Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis spoke of Greece’s “active policy” in the Middle East in order to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, as well as its leading role in the EU operation “Aspides”, in a doorstep statement as he arrived for the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting on Monday.
“We are going to provide full support to the maritime corridor [to Gaza]. Obviously this is a necessary step but we need to develop further all kind of corridors because the humanitarian situation is deteriorating immensely, so we have to make sure that all possible corridors are open to allow humanitarian aid to flow uninhibited. Greece will do everything in its power to allow these humanitarian corridors to be set in place,” Gerapetritis told reporters.
He also noted that the “situation in the world is tending to get worse. In Ukraine, the Middle East, Africa, the world, there is a clear decline in the rule of law, democracy, humanitarian values. Humanity can no longer remain inert. All strong channels must exist in order to restore the global balance and global peace.”
“Especially in the Middle East, Greece exercises a very active policy so as to ensure that the humanitarian crisis is contained and that the hostilities, if possible, do not spread to other areas. Greece is participating actively and with a leading role in the mission in the Red Sea, so as to safeguard the freedom of navigation, which is absolutely essential for the supply chain, while Greece also participates in all the humanitarian corridors and in the Cyprus’ initiative for the maritime corridor directly to Gaza,” Gerapetritis said, adding:
“In reality, however, the international legal order has failed in managing to prevent or alleviate the humanitarian crisis, which at this time has an extent that is immense. We must all understand that a situation which so blatantly violates humanist values cannot be tolerated. Tomorrow is already too late.”
Gerapetritis stresses importance of EU-Egypt partnership in talks with Blinken at FAC
Gerapetritis stressed the importance of the Comprehensive and Strategic Partnership agreement signed by the European Union with Egypt, calling it a key country for the stability of the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean, diplomatic sources said on Monday, after the conclusion of a video conference between EU foreign ministers and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the EU Foreign Affairs Council.
According to the same sources, Gerapetritis also referred to the situation in the Red Sea, noting Greece’s contribution to safeguarding the freedom of navigation. Referring to the situation in the Middle East and Gaza, the minister expressed Greece’s support for Cyprus’ initiative to open a maritime corridor for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and stressed the need for more humanitarian aid corridors on land, in order to be able to deliver the humanitarian aid that is needed.
According to a foreign ministry announcement, meanwhile, Gerapetritis is scheduled to visit Croatia on Tuesday, for a meeting with his Croatian counterpart Gordan Grlić Radman at 9:30 in the morning.
Following broader talks between their delegations, the two ministers will make statements to the press at 10:50.
Gerapetritis will then be received by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
