The exceptional level of Greek-Belgian bilateral relations, as well as the common values and principles of the two countries, were confirmed during the meeting between the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Mr. Pavlos Kotsonis with the King and Queen of Belgium at the Presidential Palace .
Welcoming the Belgian royal couple at the Presidential Palace, Ms. Sakellaropoulou stressed that their visit reflects the exceptional degree of our bilateral relations, as well as the fact that Greece and Belgium are linked by traditional close friendships, based on common values. and our principles. “We are partners in the European Union, allies in NATO and we have developed a significant level of cooperation within international organizations. I would like to emphasize that we have the desire and commitment to further develop these relations in all areas of mutual interest,” she said. Sakellaropoulou.
He therefore stressed that their visit takes place at a time when the world but especially Europe is experiencing a very important crisis. “Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues unnoticed, the immediate ceasefire creates huge problems. The strong resistance of the Ukrainian people to the Russian invasion is the resistance of every free man to violence and border violations. states and emphasizes the special importance of the right of every people to self-determination “, the President noted.
He added: “We have all been shocked lately by the images of savagery in the cities around Kyiv, during the withdrawal of Russian troops, especially by the images of Butsa” and stressed that “Greece is committed to supporting, and “It has already made the Member States, which are the first refugee areas, because of this crisis a great humanitarian crisis has arisen. An entire people has become refugees.”
She also reminded that we in Greece have also received refugees from Ukraine and conveyed her personal testimony from a meeting with them, that she was moved when she found out that they want to return to their country as soon as possible, as soon as conditions allow. He also pointed out that Greece and Belgium, as well as our European Partners, and other countries responded positively to the appeal of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to conduct an investigation into the commission of war crimes in Ukraine.
In this context, Ms. Sakellaropoulou underlined that for Greece this has a double, special interest, because as it concerns mainly the area of Mariupol, where for centuries, there is a center of Greek community that flourished, about 100,000 people, and today has almost completely destroyed. Concluding, the President said that in parallel with the pandemic, the climate crisis, the problems with energy supply, Europe is facing a series of challenges that go as far as questioning the sovereignty of Member States. As he said, “But with tradition, and faith in European values and respect for international law, which characterizes the European Union, I want to believe that with the cooperation of all of us, these multiple crises will be addressed.”
For his part, the King of Belgium thanked the President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou for her kind words, as well as for the kind letter addressed to him and the Queen of Belgium to visit Greece. He also expressed their special joy, that they are making their first visit abroad in Greece after the outbreak of the coronavirus, almost two years later. At the same time, he characterized the visit “as an excellent opportunity to listen to each other, to meet, to exchange views, practices and business actions, which is something necessary, especially in times of crisis, such as today”.
“We are two similar countries, we have a lot to offer each other. We both have a European orientation, as well as a comparable population,” he said. for the bad and for the challenges in Europe, for the past, as we are accompanied by archaeologists and rectors of Belgian universities, for the present, to see what we can do together, with what we face at European level, but also “For the future, in the field of energy and communication, we have a lot to say and a lot of views to exchange.”
The one-on-one meeting was preceded by the official welcoming ceremony of the Belgian royal couple at the Presidential Palace, as well as the award ceremony in the Credentials Hall. The President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou presented to King Philip and Queen Mathilde of Belgium the Grand Cross of the Order of the Savior and the King of Belgium awarded the President of the Hellenic Republic the Grand Cross of the Order of Leo. At the end of the ceremony, they went to the room on the first floor, where the King and Queen had a private meeting with the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, and Mr. Pavlos Kotsonis.
The Belgian royal couple was accompanied to the Presidential Palace by a large delegation, consisting of senior government officials and ministers, representatives of the Palace, as well as several journalists. At 20:00 in the evening, the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou will host an official dinner at the Presidential Palace in honor of the Belgian royal couple and the delegation accompanying him on his three-day visit to Greece.
SOURCE: AMPE
Source: Capital
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