Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met in Beirut with the Prime Minister of Lebanon Najib Mikati and the Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
During the meetings, the Prime Minister expressed Greece’s support for stability and peace in Lebanon and stressed the importance of the implementation of the November 27 ceasefire for peace and stability in the wider region.
The Prime Minister reiterated Greece’s readiness to assist in strengthening state institutions in Lebanon and in the implementation of the ceasefire, as well as in strengthening the economy.
During the meetings, they explored ways in which our country could assist the Lebanese Armed Forces, which are in charge of the effective implementation of the ceasefire.
It is reminded that Greece has already been participating in the naval component of UNIFIL since 2006, with a frigate and personnel.
Moreover, they discussed the major challenge of the refugee issue for Lebanon and the wider region and the latest developments in Syria.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated Greece’s stance in favour of the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria and stressed that the next day in Syria must safeguard all religious communities and citizens of Syria.
After the private meeting with his counterpart, the Prime Minister made the following statement:
“Thank you, your Excellence. Thank you, dear Najib, for this warm welcome to Lebanon, your beautiful country with which Greece shares strong bonds of friendship. I was planning to be here in Beirut 10 days ago, but a week later, it is impressive to consider how much the regional landscape has actually changed and is still under transformation in the space of just a few days. Syria has now become the focus of attention, but this in no way means that Lebanon and its people are far from our hearts and our minds.
Today, we find ourselves, as you said, at a critical juncture. The ceasefire agreement with Israel offered the first ray of hope in over a year in this extremely challenging time for the whole region, and we welcome it with much relief. The mediation efforts led by the United States and France are commendable and have resulted to this breakthrough development, the full implementation of which is, of course, crucial because people on both sides of the border have the right to live peacefully without the threat of bombs and rockets shattering their lives.
The international community, including Greece, has to do its utmost in order to uphold the ceasefire and implement, as you said, Resolution 1701, guarantee the full respect to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country, as well as to create the conditions for long term security for its people.
You know that Greece is a historic and traditional friend of all the peoples of this region. I come here today to bring you a very, very strong message of support. I’m actually the first European leader to visit Lebanon after the ceasefire. We know that your people have suffered so much. We stand with you in your grief, but also in your hopes and in your unwavering resilience. My visit here to friendly Lebanon reflects my country’s genuine interest in supporting Lebanon, and of course, its state institutions with every means possible in these crucial times. It’s also a symbol of our historic ties of friendship and a message for peace, stability, and a common future for the people of Lebanon.
With regards to Syria, just a few quick words. The fall of the Assad regime is a welcome development, but of course, it entails considerable security and of course, migration risks. We need to work collectively, to ensure the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Syria, the protection of human rights, and of course, of all the religious communities and ethnic groups, as well as the country’s very rich cultural heritage.
I had an opportunity before to meet the Patriarch of Antioch. It’s interesting, he gave a very beautiful sermon last Sunday, and he said that, “together, we are the bearers of a shared history with all these ups and downs, and our destiny is one”. I think this applies equally to Syria, but it also applies equally to Lebanon. The political process ahead in Syria needs to be inclusive to encompass all the groups while addressing the current fragmentation of the country, because the people of Syria have also suffered a lot and must not be subjected to yet more displacement.
Of course, we do hope that the future stability in Syria will also permit the millions of refugees who have left the country, many of whom are actually in Lebanon, to return to their country. At the same time, a ceasefire in Gaza needs to remain front and centre in our diplomatic efforts so that the flow of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza increases drastically and the political process that will lead to a two-state solution is revitalised.
As you said, in this respect, the strengthening of Lebanon state institutions is of paramount importance to us. We hope that a new President will be elected soon, and Greece will be by your side.
This has been my main message to the Prime Minister. I would like to convey to the Lebanese people that Greece is and will remain a true partner in your efforts to rebuild your country. We have strong bonds with Lebanon. We have an age-old Greek community here, which I had an opportunity to meet beforehand. But of course, we have a vibrant Lebanese community in Greece. We have sent both humanitarian and financial aid to Lebanon in the recent months. But as you said, the importance now is to empower the state institutions.
Of course, the developments in Syria further increase the urgency in supporting Lebanon’s resilience, in tackling threats, and protecting its borders. Following my meeting with the Prime Minister, but also the Speaker, I’ve become even more hopeful that the Lebanese political leaders will seize this opportunity and work swiftly towards a common vision for a peaceful and prosperous country.
We will use all our available tools. We are going to be joining the Security Council, as you know as non-permanent members as of the beginning of January of next year. We want to be a stabilising factor in the whole neighbourhood and support all efforts for a long-lasting peace.
As I said, we fully support the implementation of UN Resolution 1701. In this respect, General, it is crucial to support the Lebanese armed forces. They are called to assume a critical role in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, as well as in the safe return of displaced populations to their homes.
We’ve had discussions with the Prime Minister about how to do that. General Houpis has been joining us in order to further strengthen the ties between the two militaries and of course, let me again recognise also UNIFIL’s crucial role in providing security and stability for the region. Greece has continuously been supporting UNIFIL by participating in the naval task force with naval assets.
Now, let me conclude by saying that we know that the road ahead is not going to be easy. I took note of what you said, Prime Minister, in terms of strengthening the ties between the business communities of the two countries. Greece has also been a country that has gone through a profound financial crisis. But if this can be a source of optimism for the country, we have emerged stronger. Again, the political stability and resolving the political impasse is precondition also for the economy to grow again.
“So pity the nation divided into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation”. These were the words of Khalil Gibran, almost a century ago. And Lebanese strength lies in its diversity, its spirit of resilience and your ability to come together even in the darkest of times.
Greece will continue to be your partner in the pursuit of peace, stability, and a future of hope for Lebanon, but also for the entire region. Again, thank you so much for the very warm welcome. Thank you.”
Meetings with Patriarch John I of Antioch and the Greek Community
Earlier, the Prime Minister met with Patriarch John I of Antioch and Metropolitan Elias of Beirut.
“We come at a very interesting and difficult time, but I believe it is of great importance. As you know, I am the first European to come after the ceasefire in Lebanon and after the dramatic developments in Syria, and I come bearing feelings of love and support from all the Greek people towards the Patriarchate, which plays such a decisive role in this region,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated at the beginning of the meeting.
“I will be very interested to hear your thoughts on what is happening in both Lebanon and Syria. Greece, as you know, has a special say and our position gives us weight in future developments. So I wanted to come and meet you personally and hear your thoughts,” he added.
“God bless you, Prime Minister. It is a great pleasure and an honour to welcome you here in the Metropolis of Beirut, in Lebanon. This shows the love, the support you have, both personally and as a government, as a Greek people, for these places and especially Lebanon and Syria and the Patriarchate, the Christians who are in this region,” the Patriarch said.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis also had the opportunity to meet with the Presidency of the Greek Community of Beirut, where he stressed that Greece acted immediately to evacuate its citizens during the conflict and is ready to provide all assistance. The contribution of the Hellenism of Lebanon to the close and friendly relations between the two peoples was also highlighted.
“Let me reiterate that in these troubled times Greece’s gaze is always turned towards this region. We want to be a force for peace and stability. We are in a position to be able to talk to everyone,” the Prime Minister said. “You know that we were one of the few who, you remember, we sent a plane with assistance, we removed those who wanted to leave, in the midst of difficult circumstances,” he added.
“Thank you very much for coming to this delicate situation we have here. You have shown a great interest in us – as we had difficult days – as always,” replied the President of the Greek Community, Panos Andriotis.
