FM hails Israeli stance on Greek sovereignty
Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias expressed his satisfaction during his visit to Jerusalem on Tuesday that the government of Israel clearly stood up for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and sovereign rights of Greece.
“Greece and Israel have forged a durable partnership at the strategic level, based on common interests and converging perspectives on many challenges, as well as on a shared respect for an international order based on international rules and a shared vision for their neighborhood,” Dendias said after his meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen.
He added that there was “broad identification on a number of issues,” referring to energy, the economy and defense.
He also discussed the Asia-Europe electrical interconnection project with a cable linking Israel, Cyprus and Greece, as well as the EastMed project.
The Greek minister also referred to Turkey's systematic violations of Greece's territory and airspace, its hybrid tactics and its open threats of invasion and the possibility of launching a ballistic missile at Athens. Such behavior, he stressed, is a threat to the rules-based international order. Moreover, he added that revisionism and violations of the principles of international law are unacceptable, stressing the need for the international community to send the strongest possible message of condemnation.
Dendias' visit took place at a time of intense diplomatic activity and tension in Israel and coincided with the presence of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who also visited Ramallah in the West Bank.
The meeting between Dendias and Netanyahu was also important in terms of symbolism as it lasted twice as long as planned and was held in the presence of Israel's Strategy Minister Ron Dermer, who is one of the Israeli PM's closest and most valuable associates, and the link between Jerusalem and various Washington lobbies.
Dermer, in fact, accepted an invitation from Dendias to visit Greece.