Visit of N. Dendias to Paris on Friday, July 29

Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, immediately after the end of his meeting with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock in Athens next Friday, July 29, will go to Paris, where he will meet with his new French counterpart, Catherine Colonna.

It is noted that this will be the first bilateral meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Greece and France after the French elections. The then French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had visited Athens last November.

This visit is also important from a symbolic point of view, as it takes place immediately after the meeting with the German Foreign Minister, who will go to Ankara after Athens.

The following issues are expected to be raised during the talks:

– the further deepening of the bilateral strategic relationship, after the signing of the strategic cooperation agreement last September.

– the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, in light of the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to Cyprus, as well as the ongoing provocative statements of Turkish officials.

– the new European Security architecture, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In this context, it is expected to examine the effects of the situation in Ukraine on food security, especially in the countries of the wider Mediterranean region, the Middle East and Africa.

-The development of European Defense and Security, in the light of the forthcoming enlargement of NATO.

-The European perspective of the Western Balkans, following the convergence of the first intergovernmental conference with Albania and North Macedonia, in the context of the efforts made by the French Presidency of the Council of the EU.