The Foreign Minister said that stability and security in the region are of absolute interest to Greek diplomacy. Nikos Dendiasabout the crisis in Kosovo.

From Hanoi, Vietnam, where he is now, Mr. Dendias said: “I don’t remember how many times in the past two years I have visited Pristina and Belgrade. And also, as you know, Greece participates in KFOR, the peacekeeping force in Kosovo,” he added and stressed that caution is required, respect for international law.

He also noted that Wednesday would allow Belgrade and Pristina to discuss and resolve their differences. In this context, he stated that Greece, as an honest interlocutor in the Balkans, will do everything possible to facilitate this process.

Dendia meetings in Vietnam

Greece’s desire to expand and deepen relations with Vietnam was expressed by the Foreign Minister in his speeches during his visit to Hanoi. In particular, he pointed out that Vietnam, a country with a population of 100 million, is an interesting interlocutor for Greece in the region of Southeast Asia.

Referring to his meeting with his Vietnamese colleague Bui Thanh Son, Mr. Dendias stressed that the two countries agreed to hold close consultations on the law of the sea, understand each other’s positions and work together to develop international maritime law, but also its applications in the world. He added that Viet Nam is not only a signatory to UNCLOS, the International Convention on the Law of the Sea, but also an active member of the League of Friends of UNCLOS.

#Hanoi | 1st mtg b/w FM @NikosDendias & @FMBuiThanhSon

Negotiations on strengthening 🇬🇷-🇻🇳 relations in many areas, incl. economy, shipping and tourism, 🇪🇺-🇻🇳 relations, international transactions and cooperation in international organizations#Greece & #Vietnam share a commitment to international law and the law of the sea #UNCLOS pic.twitter.com/k8P71ehBBt

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@GreeceMFA) August 1, 2022

In addition, the two ministers discussed, among other things, bilateral relations, the economy, as well as a number of cooperation at the level of education and at the level of sports.

At the same time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs recalled that President Ho Chi Minh, the founder of Vietnam, fought on the Macedonian front in the period 16-17 years. in the ranks of the French army and announced that an agreement had been reached on his bust in Edessa, which would emphasize this fact.

They also discussed the donation of the ashes of the Greek fighter Sarantidis, who fought with the Vietnamese army during the Vietnam War of Independence and who is fondly remembered by the Vietnamese, Nikos Dendias said.

Program of the visit to Vietnam

In addition to negotiations with his Vietnamese counterpart, during his visit to the country’s capital Hanoi, Nikos Dendias will be received by Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, as well as by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

In addition, Mr. Dendias will transfer the financial assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the National Olympic Committee of Vietnam in a special ceremony. The aid will be delivered to the Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, Hoang Dao Cuong, with whom the Minister of Foreign Affairs will also meet on bilateral cooperation.

It should be noted that the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to Hanoi follows the visit of the Vice President of Vietnam, Vo Thi Anh Xuan, to Athens (November 2021) and the visit of the President of the Republic, Caterina Sakellaropoulou, to Hanoi for the last time. May.

After that, Mr. Dendias will travel to Cambodia to attend the 55th session of the ASEAN Organization (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). The Minister will remain in Phnom Penh until August 3, when the Document of Accession to the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (FDA) will be signed. The TAC Admissions Committee is expected to be signed by representatives from Denmark, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Netherlands and Oman at the same ceremony.

On the sidelines of ASEAN work, Nikos Dendias is expected to hold a series of meetings with his counterparts from ASEAN member countries. In particular, on Tuesday he will meet with the Prime Minister (and Minister of Foreign Affairs) of Brunei and the Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of Foreign Affairs) of Thailand, as well as with the Foreign Ministers of Singapore and Cambodia, and on Wednesday he is expected to meet with the Foreign Ministers of Affairs of Indonesia, India and the Philippines.