FM Gerapetritis concludes visit to Jordan; next stop Cairo

Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis on Tuesday stressed that the crisis in the Middle East must be prevented from spilling over into other regions, in statements on Tuesday at the conclusion of his visit to Amman before departing for Cairo, following a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan.

"We need to focus all our strength so that we can prevent the spread of this crisis to other regions that are by definition particularly vulnerable, such as Lebanon and the Red Sea, where we are already going through a period of growing tension in shipping safety," Gerapetritis said.

At the same time, he indicated that Greece is in a position to intervene creatively and meaningfully in the matter of the Middle East, pointing out that at the peak of this situation it could converse with both Palestine and Israel "so that we can get out of this tug-of-war as soon as possible and restore peace and prosperity to the region."

"Greece, which is a powerful member of the European Union, belongs to the broader region of the Eastern Mediterranean, having the capability to be an interlocutor of the parties involved, and is one of the few countries that has this capability, precisely because it has acquired diplomatic 'capital' through exercising a foreign policy of principles," he added.

Gerapetritis also mentioned the upcoming EU Foreign Affairs Council next Monday in Brussels, with the participation of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Iran, saying this will examine the road map for setting up humanitarian corridors, in collaboration with the EU, but also to have a discussion with "surplus value" on these issues. "So we can find a way that we can bring peace to the region. We must not lose a single day," he said.

Concerning his visit to Jordan, Gerapetritis highlighted the excellent level of cooperation between the two countries: "Jordan is a particularly crucial country, not just for broader developments in the region but also overall for the security architecture of our region, the Eastern Mediterranean. I would like to point out that we had meetings at the highest level, with the King of the country and also with the foreign minister. We had the opportunity to confirm the excellent level of cooperation between the two countries. We primarily focused, however, on issues concerning the situation in the Middle East and the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Our discussion focused on Greece's contribution to resolving the issue and on coordinating our action," he said.

Regarding the Middle East, Gerapetritis said they agreed that the next steps should be taken in a coordinated manner by Greece and Jordan, together with other Arab countries now at the forefront of the discussion.

"It is essential, on the one hand, to explore and establish channels for humanitarian aid, so that those in need, especially in Gaza, can get the essentials and basic infrastructure can be developed once more. On the other hand, we are starting a discussion on a solution on the basis of a longer pause, that will allow the parties but also international actors to discuss a viable, lasting solution," he said.

After his visit to Amman, Gerapetritis left for Cairo, where he will meeting his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry and be received by Egypt's President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi on Wednesday.

During his visit to Egypt, the Greek foreign minister will also meet with the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and members of the Greek community in Egypt.