The prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis He had a meeting at the Champs Elysians with French President Emmanuel Macron, the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides, the President of Lebanese Joseph Aun and the Transitional President of Syrian Ahmed al -Saraa, who participated through a teleprote.
During the multilateral meeting the current developments were discussed East Mediterranean and Middle East Emphasizing on security, immigration, interconnection and energy issues.
The Prime Minister gave Particular emphasis on the security challenges facing the areaas well as the common challenge of the refugee and migratory issue, especially for Lebanon, which is under increased pressure on the border with Syria and Cyprus.
In terms of Syria, Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated Greece’s position For an inclusive political process of Syrian property that will protect all national and religious communities.
The Prime Minister expressed his disgust for the recently committed in the northwestern Syria at the expense of Christian populations and emphasized the importance of full accountability. He reiterated Greece’s support in a Syrian inclusive, which respects all minorities and international law.
In relation to Lebanon, Kyriakos Mitsotakis repeated to Joseph Aoun Greece’s readiness to assist Lebanonboth by supporting the Armed force as well as offering know -how for the design and implementation of reforms needed to turn the country. The prime minister also underlined that energy projects of common interest are for the benefit of stability in the wider region.
Immediately after completing the four -party summit, the Prime Minister made the following statement:
“First of all, I find it very important that France is present, actively present, in developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and that this strategic relationship, which has a great historical depth of France with Lebanon, now includes both our countries, Cyprus and Greece, countries which are both in the Eastern Mediterranean. And, of course, I appreciate that this scheme will have a continuum and depth of time, as our interests in the wider area are perfectly aligned.
We discussed in this context the support that we can provide to Lebanon and its new government. It is extremely positive that after many and complicated processes Lebanon has now acquired a government, acquired a new president, who needs our support for his country to stabilize, because a stable Lebanon is a mound in both refugee flows to Europe, but also a country that can play a country that can be stabilized.
In this context, we reiterated our willingness to support the Lebanese Armed Forces in practice in order to be able to exercise national sovereignty, especially in the sensitive South Lebanon. And there I repeat that it is very important, on all sides, to maintain the truce that has been agreed to not reopen a hostility front in the southern Lebanon.
Beyond that, yes, I had the opportunity to talk to the new Syrian president for the first time and transported him without spin, not only Greece’s intense interest in Orthodox Christian populations in his country, but also my disgust for crimes, for the slaughter.
I have clearly asked that there must be accountability and exemplary punishment by the culprits and expressed my hope that the new Syrian government, which will be announced tomorrow, would be an inclusive government, which would incorporate its great ethnic and religious wealth.
Because Syria, if it wants to move forward and prosper and become a factor of stability and not destabilization in the region, must be done with complete respect for all religious and ethnic minorities, in this extremely complex “mosaic” of religions and ethnicities.
And I also reiterated that Greece can agree on further sanctions only provided that there is complete securities of the political process and the protection of all minorities.
And I think in this spirit, our other interlocutors moved and we agreed on a text that will be ready until the night, which will reflect a clear roadmap for how the new Syrian government has to go from now on, what can we expect from us.
So, in conclusion, I think it was a very useful and meaningful meeting. I repeat that it is extremely important that France is present in the Eastern Mediterranean and talks to countries traditionally are military partners in France, in order to always find solutions that will benefit the general stability and prosperity of our region. “
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