N. Dendias: Practices like those of Russia in Ukraine are not acceptable in the 21st century

The message that the strategic partnership between Greece, Israel and Cyprus is based on solid foundations, given that they have a common vision of peace, stability and prosperity for their region, was sent by Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, after the Tripartite Meeting with Foreign Ministers of Israel Gair Lapid and of Cyprus Ioannis Kasoulidis.

In joint statements, Nikos Dendias stressed that the three countries have a common understanding of regional challenges and their origins and for this reason they believe that this partnership has a significant dynamic.

It was also emphasized at the meeting that revisionism and the violation of basic principles of international law, such as independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, are condemnable. In addition, he noted that the immediate reaction of the international community to the Russian invasion sent a clear message that these practices are not acceptable in the 21st century. This, as he made clear, “shows that the end of tolerance for revisionism has reached the 21st century” and stressed that this is not just about Russia. “Countries and leaders who have this kind of revisionism in mind will have to rethink it,” he added.

During the talks, the three foreign ministers discussed expanding the three countries’ co-operation in a number of areas, including energy, transport, economy and trade.

Regarding regional issues, Nikos Dendias said that it was an opportunity to inform each other, starting with the Cyprus issue which is the result of a foreign invasion for about 5 decades. In this context, reiterating his condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he noted that “it reminds us of this devastating wound in Europe, which we should not forget.” On the contrary, the Foreign Minister continued, all parties should make efforts to ensure a fair, sustainable and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem, based on UN resolutions.

Referring to their talks, Nikos Dendias expressed his satisfaction for their agreement on further cooperation in the field of civil protection and measures for the protection of tourism in the three countries. He also mentioned that they discussed the expansion of their tripartite cooperation, in order to include other countries that have the same vision for the future, as well as the strengthening of the cooperation of the “3 + 1” group (Greece, Israel, Cyprus + USA). In fact, he announced that US Undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland, who is scheduled to meet with Nikos Dendias in the afternoon, visited the three ministers during the dinner.

At the same time, the Foreign Minister pointed out that the partnership between Greece, Israel and Cyprus is not affected by other regional developments or relations with other countries.

He then welcomed the results of the recent ministerial in the Negev Desert, which was hosted by Israel and was attended by Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and the United States. Addressing his Israeli counterpart, he congratulated him on organizing the ministry and said that “it was an excellent meeting, which you organized, you showed your ability to benefit from the new architecture in the area.”

Furthermore, much of today’s conversation was devoted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In this regard, Nikos Dendias briefed his counterparts on the situation in Mariupol, with a large Greek population, “where war crimes appear to have been committed”, as well as on his recent visit to Odessa. “Odessa was hit by Russian Cruise missiles a few hours before I arrived,” he said. He also thanked the Israeli Foreign Minister and the Israeli ambassador in Athens for their country’s assistance in the effort to remove the Greek citizens and the Greek community of Mariupol. “You have hosted us, you have hosted our people in the Synagogue of Uman, and we will not forget that.”

The EU tripartite strategy for energy diversification was also discussed at the Tripartite Meeting, with an emphasis on diversifying liquefied natural gas supplies. In addition, the interconnection of electricity was discussed.

Regarding the recent terrorist attacks in Israel, Nikos Dendias condemned every act of terrorism and expressed his condolences and solidarity with Israel. He also stressed that Greece is ready to support any effort to revive the peace process in the Middle East and stressed Greece’s readiness to play a constructive role in possible contacts between Israelis and Palestinians.

The Foreign Minister did not fail to mention the “worrying developments” in the Christian area of ​​the old city of Jerusalem after the illegal occupation of the Little Petra Hotel, which belongs to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, by a settlement organization. “The protection of the rights of places of worship, institutions and property must be maintained in the context of the status quo and this is a priority for us. We are afraid that this issue may worsen further,” said Nikos Dendias and stressed the need to maintain the pluralistic and multi-dogmatic character of Jerusalem.

Finally, the Foreign Minister pointed out that the list of issues of tripartite cooperation has no end, but also for the common challenges they face and said that he looks forward to the continuation of this strategic cooperation.