A clear signal that Greece is ready to defend its territory, its sovereignty, its sovereign rights, its existence by all available legal means, was sent by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Nikos Dendias in joint statements with Polish his colleague Zbigniew Rauafter their meeting in Warsaw.

He also expressed satisfaction that the European Union, the US, Germany and “our Egyptian friends” have publicly condemned Turkey’s actions, noting that they have emphasized the obvious: the current government in Tripoli does not have the authority to sign international agreements. He reiterated that both the previous and the recent “memorandum of understanding” signed between the Tripoli government and Turkey are not only illegal, but also invalid.

During the meeting, Nikos Dendias briefed the Polish Foreign Minister on the latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and Turkey’s involvement in Libya, following a briefing he gave in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to EU foreign ministers and US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland last September of the year. In particular, he pointed out to the Polish Foreign Minister the escalation of provocative rhetoric from Turkey, which is constantly reaching new heights, and sometimes on a personal level, he said.

Referring to the talks with his Polish counterpart, the Foreign Minister said that today they had a lengthy discussion about the forces of darkness who are trying to impose a new European order of things, not based on common principles and values, such as international law, but on violence and the threat of violence. .

In particular, they discussed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine after the Russian invasion, with Nikos Dendias saying that the conflict has taken a worse turn since the illegal annexation of four Ukrainian provinces by Russia, and stressed that Greece unequivocally condemned this action and protested from the Russian side. As he explained, Greece’s policy towards Ukraine is based on three principles: the fundamental principles of international law, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, the prohibition of the use of force, and the prohibition of the threat of the use of force. . In this context, he expressed satisfaction that Poland is adamant in respecting these principles.

Nikos Dendias also raised the issue of responsibility for the crimes committed, touching upon a significant Greek community in Ukraine and in particular in Mariupol and Zaporozhye. “It is necessary to ensure their well-being, as well as to bring to justice those responsible for possible war crimes,” he stressed.

At the same time, he stated that Greece is ready and willing to participate in the restoration of Ukraine, as well as in the preservation of its important cultural heritage. He recalled that he had visited Odessa twice in recent months. A city closely associated with Greek history and independence, and also closely associated with Corfu, as the historic mayor of Odessa, Grigoris Maraslis, was from Corfu, he further noted. In particular, he expressed the readiness of Greece to assist in the registration of the historical center of the city of Odessa as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in order to create a cultural protection shield over it. He added that Greece looks forward to working with Poland and other EU partners to achieve these goals.

Immigration was also discussed, and the two foreign ministers denounced attempts to exploit the plight of those seeking a better life. Both Poland and Greece have been victims of such “hybrid attacks,” Nikos Dendias said, and offered solidarity among EU members as a response.

At the beginning of his speech, Nikos Dendias noted that this is the first bilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of the two countries in many years, and touched upon general bilateral ties. According to him, during the meeting, the foreign ministers of the two countries discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations, “which are already at an excellent level.” The issues of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, and renewable energy sources were considered indicatively.

To confirm the good atmosphere of the meeting, Nikos Dendias called his colleague in Alexandrupli. “Therefore, it will be a pleasure to host you this time not in Athens, but in Alexandroupolis, which will give us the opportunity to show you how important Alexandroupolis is to our alliance of NATO, EU and Ukraine,” he said.

Finally, to the question about German war reparations, the Minister of Foreign Affairs replied that for the Greek government and Greek society this issue remains open, “and its solution, which is primarily a matter of principle, I believe will be beneficial for all the countries involved and the EU.”

^{With information from APE-MPE}