Good morning,
Dear colleagues,
Dr. Chipman,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to thank the Kingdom of Bahrain and IISS for allowing me to have this first participation at the Manama Dialogue. A very important venue, if I may say so.
Well, you all know that there is a dominant inclination to view the Middle East region through geopolitical lenses. And I cannot be the exception to that. This is a region which constitutes a crossroad of civilizations, religions and political interests. And also, a region affected by many ongoing conflicts. Locally generated, but also crossing borders.
Libya, Syria, Yemen, are clear-cut paradigms of the multiplying and increasingly intersecting issues the region is faced with. Apart from the impact on regional security, stability, they also have severe consequences on the wider area. Among others, they create conditions for the growth of two greatly destabilizing factors, migration and terrorism.
So, is there any chance we can escape from this vicious circle of violence, insecurity and instability? My answer to this rhetorical question is an affirmative one; yes, we can. There is an alternative vision for this region. There is a vision that embraces our rich diversity and our unique historical heritage. One that is based on the common ground of our shared interests.
We, Greece, firmly believe in peaceful co-existence and cooperation among all countries of the region. And, of course, this has to be based on the respect of International Law, including the Law of the Sea and the United Nations Charter. This is the solid basis for good neighbourly relations.
Guided by these principles, my country is contributing to regional stability and prosperity through three interconnected paths.
First of all, we have successfully addressed bilateral issues with all our neighbours, with the exception of one, on the basis of International Law. In the space of one year, we have concluded International Agreements on the delimitation of our respective maritime zones with Italy, our partner in the EU, and Egypt. And we have agreed to defer to the International Court of Justice in the Hague the same issue with Albania. Our goal is to address all such pending issues, taking as a basis the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and, more broadly, International Law.
Secondly, we are building regional cooperation schemes, along with Cyprus and other countries of the region. Just 48 hours ago, I hosted a quadrilateral meeting with the participation of my counterparts from Cyprus, Egypt and France in Athens. And last February, I had the honour to host the above-mentioned countries, along with three Gulf States, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, under the name of Philia Forum. “Philia” in Greek means friendship. So this is the Friendship [Forum].
We are building bridges between the Middle East and Europe. These cooperation schemes serve the goal of promoting peace, stability and prosperity and have the potential from the Gulf to be extended to the area of the Indo-Pacific.
We seek to tackle together regional challenges and share our views. We also seek joint actions in order to address global challenges, such as coping with the Covid-19 pandemic. Addressing the effects of climate change and environmental degradation is a huge challenge for all of us. And, of course, last, but not least, we have to manage water shortages.
And please allow me to clarify here, as I do quite often: these multilateral schemes are not exclusive clubs. They are open to whoever shares our values and principles, that is the respect of International Law and International Law of the Sea.
The third path we are following is that we have taken substantial steps in building bilateral relations with the countries in the region. As well as with Regional Organisations. Over the last couple of years, the government of Greece has invested politically in the Gulf. Because the Gulf is, after all, part of our neighbourhood, and we are advocating for that in the European Union. Because you realize that sometimes, if you are sitting in Brussels, our area seems rather far away.
Greece signed last year an agreement on Foreign Policy and Defence Cooperation with the United Arab Emirates. An agreement, also, that contains a mutual assistance clause. Greece has recently deployed a battery of Patriot Missiles in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Again, Patriot Missiles are a purely defensive weapon, as I am sure you know. Our goal is to help the Kingdom cope with external threats, especially attacks against civilians. We have signed an agreement on political consultations with the Gulf Cooperation Council. I have met the Secretary General three times this year. So, that speaks for itself. Last, but not least, I personally have visited almost all the Gulf countries.
We remain committed to build on the foundations I just laid-out.Hopefully these can lay the ground for a broader breakthrough towards conflict resolution. And let us see clearly, the road ahead is definitely long, has many obstacles, but we can walk it towards a better future based on our shared principles and shared values.
Thank you very much.