The message that “it’s the season of composition. It is the season to look to the future with vision. Discord can only have disastrous results,” Foreign Minister Giorgios Gerapetritis said on the occasion of meetings today with his counterparts from Turkey, Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine in the framework of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council.

Regarding Gaza, the Greek Foreign Minister said on his arrival at the Council that “Greece is ready to contribute both to the reconstruction of Gaza and to the humanitarian aid part of the process.”

Regarding Ukraine, Mr. Gerapetritis stressed that “we want any peace process that will put an end to this long and bloody war in Europe and for this reason, we are ready to contribute to the humanitarian and reconstruction part of the process.”

Full statement by George Gerapetritis

The Foreign Affairs Council is meeting today with an agenda that is at the forefront of geopolitical developments, amidst the peace process, which has already started in Gaza, and amidst developments regarding Ukraine.

In Gaza, all our attention is focused on the implementation of the peace plan, so that the process for a sustainable peace can run smoothly and we can move to the second phase.

I will inform my counterparts about Greece’s presence in Sharm El-Sheikh and what was discussed there, as well as the visit, a few hours after Sharm El-Sheikh, of the Palestinian Foreign Minister on the future of the peace process. Greece is ready to contribute both to the reconstruction of Gaza and to humanitarian aid. It is very important that we can all work systematically so that we can have a sustainable peace.

As far as Ukraine is concerned, Greece is present. We are on the side of Ukraine. We want any peace process that will put an end to this long and bloody war in Europe and for this reason we are ready to contribute to the humanitarian and reconstruction part.

But it is the time for connections, it is the time for connectivity, it is the time to look at greater regional partnerships. Europe needs to increase its footprint. And that is why we have on the agenda cooperation with the Eastern Partnership, with the Black Sea, with Central Asia, so that Europe can increase its geopolitical footprint, so that Europe can integrate more partners.

In the framework of the Foreign Affairs Council, I have the opportunity to meet with all the ministers, who are from outside the European Union member states, with the foreign ministers of Armenia, Moldova, Turkey, and  Ukraine.

It is the time of meetings. It is time to look at the future with vision. Divisions can only have disastrous results.

Thank you very much.