Home Greece Gerapetritis: We remain committed to the Greece, Cyprus, Jordan Trilateral Cooperation Scheme

Gerapetritis: We remain committed to the Greece, Cyprus, Jordan Trilateral Cooperation Scheme

MFA

ATHENS – 

“We remain committed to the Greece-Cyprus-Jordan Trilateral Cooperation Scheme, which constitutes an important achievement in our relations,” underlined Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis on Tuesday in Amman, after the end of his meeting with Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Al Safadi.

As he underlined, bilateral relations between Greece and Jordan are excellent and “we are determined to further strengthen our cooperation in the economy, trade, defence, energy, tourism and culture”.

“Jordan acts as a stabilising force in the region. We share the vision of living in a safe and stable region, free from wars, aggressions, rivalries and conflicts,” he noted.

Obviously, he added, much will depend on the visit by King Abdullah II of Jordan to the United States on the 11th of February.

“Our partnership becomes even more important in view of the future in the Middle East. In this context, we must jointly promote regional integration, as well as economic and energy projects, while ensuring sustainable stability for the benefit of all in the Middle East,” the minister noted.

Gerapetritis pointed out that the long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza and the agreement to release the hostages constitute a “turning point and a positive step towards achieving lasting stability in the Middle East”.

“Our immediate priority should be the provision of unhindered and enhanced humanitarian aid to all parts of the Gaza Strip for the relief of civilians,” he said and welcomed the reopening of the Rafah border crossing and the reactivation of the EUBAM Rafah Mission. 

“Greece has been strongly in favour of increasing humanitarian aid, supporting UNRWA and the Jordanian plan to send humanitarian aid via airlift,” he said.

He noted that Greece is participating in the ongoing Jordanian operation to send humanitarian aid by helicopter to Gaza.

“It is our own initiative and my personal commitment to treat injured children from Gaza in Greek hospitals,” he pointed out and added that Greek hospitals have already started accepting children from the area.

“Any scenarios that could lead to turmoil and further uncertainty, including the movement of population from Gaza or the West Bank, should be avoided,” he pointed out.

“Our priority must be to make Gaza sustainable,” he said. “We must urgently begin planning to rebuild Gaza, restore basic facilities and infrastructure, and enable people to live peacefully in their homeland.”

In addition, Gerapetritis referred to the start of a broader political process that would lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state. “The two-state solution must be the final vision of all of us, with a full guarantee for Israel’s security. This is a prerequisite for long-term stability in the region.”

He also noted that Greece has assumed a leading role in the EU in providing the support and expertise required for the financial and institutional strengthening of the Palestinian Authority. “It is important to provide further legitimacy to the Palestinian Authority so that it can represent the Palestinian people, without any reference to terrorism, and within the framework of an effective government.”

“Jordan is a pillar of stability for this region,” he stressed. “It has also been among the countries most affected by regional crises and hosts millions of Palestinian and Syrian refugees. It is important to maintain this stability in Jordan.”

Greece, he said, will promote the realisation of this purpose, either within the European Union or within the United Nations and strongly supports, within the EU, the provision of financial support to Jordan, as Amman is an essential partner.

He reminded that he supported the signing of the Joint Declaration on a “Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership” between the European Union and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on January 29.

As for Syria, “the situation remains fluid,” he said, adding that “our primary concern is to ensure the stability and reconstruction of Syria.”

He pointed out that “it is necessary to ensure the unity, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, which is currently in a transitional state”. “This transition must be smooth and inclusive of all religious and ethnic groups in the country’s future, in the spirit of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, free from foreign interference.”

“All Syrian voices must be heard. The new system of governance must be based on legitimacy and unwavering respect for International Law, including the International Law of the Sea.”

He noted that Jordan actively and beneficially contributes to the maintenance of multiculturalism and religious tolerance in a critical region and pointed out that it can rely on Greece as a member of the UN Security Council.

[ANA -MPA]

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