“There are no problems that cannot be solved through dialogue,” Giorgios Gerapetritis said, among other things, in his meetings with the political leadership of the Tripoli government in Libya, following talks in Benghazi with Marshal Haftar on July 6.

As part of the visit, the Greek Foreign Minister met with his Libyan counterpart, Taher Al Baur, while also holding talks with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeiba and Presidential Council Chairman Mohamed Menfi. Gerapetritis elaborated on Athens’ firm positions, based on International Law and the Law of the Sea, rejecting the unsubstantiated logic of the Turcolibian memorandum. The migration issue was also on the agenda.

“It is a great honour to be in Tripoli today. On behalf of the Greek government and the Greek people, I bring you a message of peace, friendship, and good neighbourliness. Libya is a natural neighbour for Greece. It is an ally of culture and history, and we aim to continue together on the path towards greater regional security and peace. There are no problems that cannot be solved through dialogue and those that unite us, such as geography and history, are far more than those that divide us. That is why I look forward to our cooperation, and I hope that my visit will be the beginning of a good and constructive relationship between our two countries and our governments. Greece can and should be Libya’s voice in Europe and the world”, George Gerapetritis said after the conclusion of his talks with the leadership of Libya’s Tripoli-based “national unity” government.

Taher Al-Baur, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Tripoli government, receiving the Greek Foreign Minister, stressed the historical and cultural relations that unite the two Mediterranean peoples, describing the bilateral relations as warm over time, despite the difficulties. “There are always issues that affect relations, he said, adding: Of course, these problems should not become obstacles to relations between states, especially as we are in the same region. The Mediterranean is one of the most beautiful regions in the world… These factors force us politicians to work on our relations,” he noted, expressing the hope that “this trip will be a start to give a good turn to the relations between the two countries.”

According to reports, Libya’s foreign minister raised the issue of maritime zones, despite the fact that the meeting was held in the shadow of Libya’s UN-sponsored declaration under which the transitional government disputes the median line as the starting point for maritime zone delimitation, aligning itself with the Turkish Memorandum of Understanding. However, Athens points out that, despite the Libyan side’s disputes, the fact that the text of the verbal notice invokes international law and the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea leaves open enough room for dialogue between the two sides.

Premier Abdelhamid Abdelhamid Debiba received, on Tuesday, at his office in the cabinet, the Foreign Minister of the Hellenic Republic, George Gerapetritis.

During the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries, especially in economic and services issues, while they also discussed the opening of Greek airspace for Libyan air traffic and the resumption of direct flights between the two countries.

The two sides stressed the importance of continuing direct dialogue to ensure respect for national sovereignty, maintain good neighbourly relations, and serve the common interests of the Libyan and Greek people.