The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis talked about the escalation of the crisis in the Middle East as well as for the Greek-Turkish relations, upon his arrival at the European Union Summit in Brussels.
“May the crisis in the Middle East not escalate into a regional conflict,” stated the Prime Minister. We will primarily focus on issues of foreign policy, as well as matters concerning the competitiveness of the European economy regarding foreign policy issues. I would like to make three points regarding the issues that will be discussed,” Mr. Mitsotakis said.
“The unambiguous condemnation of Iran’s attack against Israel will be accompanied by the urging of all members of the European Council to do everything in our power to de-escalate this crisis, prevent its expansion, and avoid it from taking on the characteristics of a regional conflict,” he said, referring to the Middle East.
Specifically, among other things, the Prime Minister welcomed the new effort for reconciliation in Cyprus. Speaking also about migration, he noted his support for Cyprus’s efforts to reduce migration flows, while making a special reference to the assistance that must be provided to Lebanon to stabilize.
‘Secondly, I express my satisfaction with the fact that the situation in Lebanon will be discussed, a country that is also at the center of major upheavals and faces serious problems. Obviously, the situation in Lebanon directly affects Cyprus, as we have seen significant refugee flows from Lebanon to Cyprus, and we support the efforts of the Republic of Cyprus to stem these flows, but at the same time, we must be able to provide support to Lebanon as needed, so that this country, which has gone through a lot, can finally stabilize,” he said.
Referring to the progress report prepared by the European Commission on Turkey, Mr. Mitsotakis expressed his satisfaction and noted that he recognizes that EU-Turkey relations can always progress, taking into account the conclusions of the European Council.
Speaking about competitiveness in the EU, he noted that it is not an abstract concept but must also be linked to the income of European citizens.
