OR Greece “aspires to be a bridge between it Europe and her Gulf region“, taking advantage of its historical and strategic relations with Arab world and the Israelemphasized by the Bahrain the foreign minister George Gerapetritisspeaking at the annual forum “Manama Dialogue”.
The minister described one multidimensional Greek approach – economic, diplomatic, energy, security and cultural – which is already “producing tangible results”. He made special reference to military cooperation with Saudi Arabiareminding her deployment of Patriot missiles and them 19 joint initiatives in defense and military industry, saying that Greece considers itself “natural security partner” for all Gulf States.
For her crisis in the Middle EastMr. Gerapetritis characterized her Peace Agreement “critical first step” to political solution and full regional integration of Israelwith parallel recovery and reconstruction of Gaza and horizon two state solution. He underlined that Greece, with relations in Gulf, Egypt, Israel and Palestinian Authoritybut also with her position in UN Security Council“is in a unique position to contribute to the implementation of the Plan”.
In the energy field, he spoke about Greece as interconnectivity node: the GREGY project (Greece–Egypt), the GSI (Cyprus-Israel-Greece) and the cooperation with Saudi Arabia. “OR physical, energy, digital and human connectivity is the backbone of regional stability,” he said, linking it to maritime security in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandebwhere – as he said – Greece, as maritime nation with the largest merchant fleet, has a direct interest.
Mr. Gerapetritis concluded that Athens supports the extension of the Abrahamic Covenants and him India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridorwith the aim of becoming Levant«node of stability, connectivity and integration».