With a Memorandum of Understanding on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue, Hellas and Egypt they send a clear message: our actions are based on international rules. We never in any way try to encroach on the sovereignty or sovereign rights of other states, unlike others in the region, the Foreign Minister stressed. Nikos Dendiasafter meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shukri in Cairo.

Stressing the importance of the agreement in the field of aviation and maritime search and rescue, which was previously signed at the Egyptian Ministry of Defense by the defense ministers of the two countries, Nikos Dendias emphasized that it is based on full respect for international law and is fully consistent with the provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). In fact, he determined that the goal of Greece and Egypt in this agreement is to create a framework for cooperation that will help save precious human lives.

In addition, the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced that Greece and Egypt, through their exemplary bilateral ties, contribute to strengthening stability and security in the Mediterranean and act as a bridge between the governments and peoples of Europe and Africa. He also pointed out that this agreement is first and foremost about saving lives and working together on how to achieve this, and that it shows that in a spirit of cooperation and mutual understanding, many agreements can be signed and many chances. “It is clear that countries that work together and have the same reading of the situation can create a better understanding of what needs to be done to protect the lives of citizens, as well as the lives of other people who are either flying over the Mediterranean, whether they are swimming in the Mediterranean,” — he explained.

During the meeting, the foreign ministers of the two countries discussed regional developments, as well as the very unstable situation in Libya, and N. Dendias informed S. Sukri about his recent visit to Libya. “And we both agreed that we are looking forward to working with the elected and representative government of Libya,” N. Dendias said.

In addition, the Greek minister informed his Egyptian counterpart about the continuation of Turkish provocative statements and actions. “Unfortunately, since our last meeting there have been no positive developments on this front,” N.Dendias noted.

At the beginning of his speech, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, mentioning that only a month had passed since his last visit to Cairo, noted that the most important thing was not the frequency of their meetings, but the strategic cooperation that they managed to establish between the two countries, “which arises both in during their discussions, and mainly as a result of the signing of two very important agreements.

At the same time, he made special mention of what he called the “important agreement” between the two countries on the employment of seasonal workers in the agricultural sector, which was signed by Deputy Foreign Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis and his Egyptian counterpart for European Affairs, Ihab Nasr, in the presence of ministers foreign affairs of the two countries. “This agreement is of key importance for the development of economic cooperation between Greece and Egypt in a very important sector – agriculture,” the Foreign Minister stressed, adding that it promotes legal immigration. In this context, N. Dendias expressed his country’s deep gratitude for Egypt’s constant efforts to combat illegal immigration. In his opinion, the contribution of Egypt should be recognized not only by Greece, but also by the European Union as a whole.

Addressing his Egyptian counterpart, he stressed that today’s two agreements between Greece and Egypt “should be added to another important agreement that we signed together two years ago in the same building on the delimitation of our exclusive economic zones.” This agreement, he continued, is an example of how countries wishing to coexist in a mutually beneficial environment should cooperate, respecting the principles of international law and the international law of the sea, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.

In addition, he stressed the importance of the Europe-Africa interconnection pipeline, through which electricity will be transported from Africa to Europe. “We look forward to strengthening this cooperation in other sectors, including energy and renewable energy sources,” said N. Dendias.

Finally, he did not fail to congratulate Egypt on the results of the COP27 Climate Conference, which he chaired for 20 days. He made special mention of the Loss and Loss Fund for vulnerable countries. This is significant progress, he said, and this is what Egypt and the Egyptian foreign minister will leave as a legacy to future generations.

Source: APE/MEB