Gerapetritis to 'Al Ahram': Cooperation with Egypt can bring stability and peace

It is imperative that Greece and Egypt cooperate in support of a sustainable humanitarian pause in Gaza and intensify efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East, Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said in an interview with the Egyptian newspaper "Al Ahram" on Wednesday. Gerapetritis, who was in Cairo on his second visit as foreign minister, noted that Egypt is one of the most important strategic partners of Greece and pointed out that Greece and Egypt have a common understanding regarding the wider region of the Eastern Mediterranean.

He expressed his belief that the two countries should work together to find solutions that can bring stability, peace and prosperity to the region. Continuing on the same wavelength, he emphasised that a successful example of regional cooperation is the trilateral scheme between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt, the aim of which is to promote dialogue and find cooperation in areas of common interest, such as defence, energy and climate change , which lay the foundation for stronger relationships.

Referring to his visit, he pointed out that its main purpose was to exchange views with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry on the war in Gaza and the crisis in the Middle East.

Outlining the regional context, the foreign minister said it was particularly worrying and expressed his deep concern about the situation and the growing tension in the West Bank, the possibility of the crisis spreading to Lebanon, the rising tension in the Red Sea and, above all, the ongoing loss of civilian life and the humanitarian tragedy.

He suggested that more must be done to stop the humanitarian disaster and announced that Greece is trying to be constructive and offer meaningful mediation. In particular, he said that Greece aspires to be a sincere and reliable interlocutor, recalling that it was one of the first countries to send humanitarian aid to Gaza and one of the few European countries that participated in the peace summit in Cairo last October, adding that it actively participates in shaping the EU's foreign policy.

He also expressed the opinion that Egypt is a pillar of stability in the region and praised Cairo's role in securing humanitarian aid to Gaza through Rafah. He noted that throughout this time, Greece has been in constant communication with the Egyptian government, with which it works closely both for the channeling of humanitarian aid to Gaza and for the successful removal of Greek and foreign citizens from the Palestinian enclave.

At the same time, he wanted to make it clear that Greece, following a foreign policy based on principles, has maintained a consistent position since the beginning of this conflict and immediately submitted a very specific five-point action plan, including: "the condemnation of all forms of aggression, the protection of civilians, the creation of humanitarian corridors, the release of hostages and the convening of an international conference to settle the Middle East issue based on the decisions of the United Nations Security Council."

Focusing on bilateral relations, Gerapetritis emphasised that over the years, Greece has developed a strategic partnership with Egypt. "Greece maintains historical ties of friendship and cooperation with Egypt and places special emphasis on the further development and deepening of bilateral relations, which are shaped by mutual respect and the desire to live in a peaceful and prosperous region," he noted.

He made special reference to the 2020 Agreement on the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zones, pointing out that it is the primary manifestation of the strategic nature of the cooperation between the two countries. "This agreement was the product of a bona fide bilateral negotiation, which is based on International Law and in particular on the Law of the Sea. The two countries jointly expressed the desire to expand cooperation in all areas of mutual interest and to explore new potential ventures in each area," he underlined.

The minister equally emphasised bilateral cooperation in the field of energy, stressing the Green Energy (GREGY) interconnector as an iconic joint energy project. In particular, he said that significant progress in the project, which is designed to transfer green energy from Egypt to mainland Greece and then to other European countries through an undersea cable.

Gerapetritis also referred to cooperation with Egypt in trade and the economy, noting that large numbers of Greek business people were now operating in Egypt, while Greece hoped to receive a number of Egyptians to work in agriculture and fishing.

Regarding the prospects for bilateral cooperation, he said there were ample opportunities for deepening cooperation through collaboration in shipping, tourism, construction, renewable energy and new technologies.

What Greece really aspires to is to become the main energy hub of Southeast Europe. I believe that Greece's strategic geographical position and the stability of its government make it a gateway to the European Union for the countries of North Africa, the Middle East and the Arab world. "I will also briefly refer to the projects that promote interconnectivity, namely the connection of the ports (Piraeus, Limassol and Alexandria-Port Said), as well as the agreement with the Suez Canal Authority and Greek companies for waste recycling," he emphasised.

The foreign minister then highlighted the importance of cooperation between the two countries in the regional framework of the Eastern Mediterranean: "Greece and Egypt share a common ambition. We seek to promote and ensure peace and security in the Eastern Mediterranean. Indeed, our region is fragile, with war and terrorism, poverty, food crises and climate change being the main underlying causes of instability and uncertainty. Migration flows from North Africa remain a significant problem. Restricting illegal immigration as well as human trafficking is a goal for both Greece and Egypt, as well as the European Union. The aforementioned are the main security challenges in the wider Middle East and North Africa region, our neighbourhood. War in the Middle East, instability in the Sahel region, rising tensions in the Red Sea and their negative impact on global trade and shipping in Suez, as well as the unpredictable situation in Libya are fueling concerns that the crisis may spread to the wider area" he stated.