Thursday, January 11 2024 10:40

ArmInfo.Below is a statement by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece George Gerapetritis following his meeting with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan

"I would like to thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia,  Ararat Mirzoyan for his kind hospitality.

"I am in Yerevan for the first time in my capacity as Foreign  Minister of Greece to confirm the excellent level of our bilateral  relations and our readiness to deepen our cooperation further.

"Greece and Armenia are linked by traditional historical ties of  friendship forged over centuries.

"I am in regular communication with my friend, Ararat. We also met in  September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.  More recently, in December, we met on the margins of the Foreign  Affairs Council in Brussels, in which the Armenian FM was invited  following my official request to EU H.R.

"As regards the EU, Greece supports the deepening of relations with  Yerevan and the increase of EU presence through the EU Mission in  Armenia (EUMA). Greece will work to strengthen the EU-Armenia  institutional dialogue, to offer our expertise, acquired over the  years being one of the oldest EU Member States.

"With Armenia, we cooperate closely and constructively within the  framework of regional and international organisations. Greece  supports Armenia's request for the protection of World Heritage Sites  within the framework of UNESCO.

"Greece is closely monitoring developments in the Caucasus region.  From the very first moment, we have expressed our solidarity with the  people of Armenia and sent humanitarian aid for the needs that have  arisen from the mass, violent, exodus of the population from Nagorno  Karabakh.

"Greece pursues its foreign policy on the basis of the principles of  international law, respect for sovereignty, and territorial  integrity. Greece, as a proponent of the peaceful settlement of  disputes, is firmly opposed to the use of force and instead advocates  for dialogue and consultation.

"To this end, we welcomed the Joint Statement issued by Armenia and  Azerbaijan, which announced the mutual release of prisoners and  confidence-building measures between the two parties.

"We support the resumption of talks between Yerevan and Baku towards  consolidating security and stability in the South Caucasus region.  The guiding principle for both sides must be the achievement of a  lasting, just, and sustainable regional peace and good neighborly  relations. This is also the direction taken by Armenia's "Crossroads  of Peace" connectivity project, which we consider feasible and  inclusive.

"From this podium, I would like to emphasize once again the  importance that Greece attaches to addressing the humanitarian needs  of the displaced population. We look forward to increasing bilateral  cooperation in all sectors and to strengthening our relations.

"I thank you very much Minister Mirzoyan for your hospitality and  warm welcome here in Yerevan."

In response to a journalist's question as to whether peace is  possible between Baku and Yerevan in the near future, Minister  Gerapetritis said: 

"This is a question that cannot be answered within a few minutes, as  you can imagine. We believe in dialogue. In Greece, we keep saying  that there are three words of Greek origin that could be the solution  for any sort of international dispute and aggression, namely  democracy, diplomacy, and dialogue. So, we clearly think that the  parties involved should be in a constant dialogue.

"I think the 'crossroads of peac' presented by the Armenian  government is a feasible, sustainable, and fair solution to the  problem. We believe that a peace process should address specific  issues concerning the boundary delimitation and be as detailed as  possible to prevent the eruption of future hostilities. I think that  both parties should continue being engaged in this process. I believe  that there is a serious, realistic chance that we will have a  solution in the future. Greece will provide good offices for this not  only in international fora but also in the relationship with  Azerbaijan and Turkiye. Overall, I think that the Armenian government  supports prosperity and everlasting peace in the region and is trying  its best to find a solution that would be not only to the benefit of  the Armenian people but also a realistic solution for an everlasting  peace."