Mr. President, it is with great pleasure that I welcome you to Athens on the first visit by a President of the Republic of Lebanon in 14 years. This visit reaffirms the deep and enduring bonds between our peoples, as well as our shared determination to give our relationship even greater substance.
I stressed this to you back in December 2024, when I visited Beirut as the first foreign leader after the ceasefire was reached, and I wanted then to convey to you the same message I am conveying to you today: that Greece stands firmly by your side in the most critical moments.
We reaffirm this support today by essentially deciding to elevate our relationship to a strategic partnership. Our goal is to establish a High-Level Cooperation Council, which is a specific framework for cooperation in foreign policy, defense, energy, and culture.
In this context, I would like to reiterate that Greece unequivocally supports Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence, and unity. We stand by your side in your efforts to strengthen institutions and restore state authority throughout the entire territory of Lebanon.
We attach particular importance to preserving Lebanon’s multicultural character and to protecting the Christian communities, whose long-standing presence is an integral part of the region’s enduring identity.
Our position is clear: a strong state is a prerequisite for a strong Lebanon, with a central authority that, first and foremost, will guarantee the security of all citizens, while retaining the exclusive right to exercise legitimate armed force throughout its entire territory.
Mr. President, I would like to express our full support for your initiatives in this direction. I also commend your courageous decision to invest in diplomacy and direct dialogue with Israel under U.S. mediation.
Greece, as a traditional friend of both Lebanon and the Arab world, and at the same time a strategic partner of Israel, stands ready to support any effort toward de-escalation and mutual understanding.
It has always been our position, after all, that the security of Lebanon and Israel are not conflicting goals. They are two sides of the same sustainable solution, grounded in international law, the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states in the region.
I assure you that your country will remain high on both the Greek and European agendas. This is all the more so given that the European Union has declared its readiness to set in motion the procedures for establishing a comprehensive partnership with Lebanon. In fact, we will seek to ensure that the relevant discussions begin during Greece’s presidency of the Council of the European Union, in the second half of 2027.
In any case, we will continue to work toward stability, the strengthening of institutions, and the protection of your sovereignty. This is something we will continue to do for the remainder of our term on the United Nations Security Council, until the end of this year.
Mr. President, we attach particular importance to the Lebanese Armed Forces as the cornerstone of Lebanon’s security and territorial integrity. That is why I am particularly pleased with the successful completion of the second major shipment of military equipment from Greece. I saw the photos showing the Greek armored vehicles arriving in Lebanon, with the Greek and Lebanese flags flying side by side. I believe this is yet another tangible proof that our solidarity goes beyond mere words.
I would like to reiterate publicly to you as well that the Greek Ministry of Defense and the Greek Armed Forces stand by your side. And we are prepared to provide even more material support for your efforts to strengthen your country’s Armed Forces as much as possible, so that they – and they alone – can exercise sovereignty over your entire territory, and especially in southern Lebanon.
The President and I also discussed the period following the completion of the United Nations Interim Force’s operational mandate at the end of 2026. As a country with a long history of contributing to the UNIFIL mission, we consider it crucial that this transition takes place in an organized manner and without any security gaps. Once again, the Lebanese Armed Forces must play a central role in this process, alongside a substantial international and European presence.
In this context, we also support the discussions within the European Union regarding the development of a Common Security and Defense Policy mission, and we, too, are ready to contribute, primarily to maritime surveillance but also to strengthening the operational capabilities of the Lebanese Navy.
However, we are well aware, Mr. President, that consolidating security is necessary but not sufficient on its own. For this reason, Greece is also committed to the effort to help Lebanon recover and rebuild. Our support has already taken the form of concrete initiatives: humanitarian aid, development assistance, and social infrastructure.
As is well known, we supported the reopening of Saint George Hospital in Beirut. We are actively contributing to the launch of the Balamand Medical Center in northern Lebanon.
We must, however, look beyond current circumstances. I believe there are significant opportunities for attracting investment, boosting trade, and deepening our partnerships in shipping, transportation, tourism, and the energy sector. First and foremost, by transferring know-how to modernize Lebanon’s refineries and infrastructure, always in line with your own priorities. But also through our shared vision that the Eastern Mediterranean be transformed from a region of tension into a peaceful space of cooperation and interconnectivity.
Greece, after all, believes in energy “bridges” and shared infrastructure, which bring together not only the countries of the region but also connect the Eastern Mediterranean with Europe as a whole. In such a new architecture, Lebanon must play a pivotal role, particularly as a strong, sovereign, and stable state, where decisions are made by its institutions, always with the interests of its people in mind.
I would like to reiterate, Mr. President, as I welcome you once again to Athens, that at every step along this journey, Greece will stand firmly by your side. We are not merely neighbors; we are companions on this journey; we are friends; we are brother nations.
Our peoples, after all, have been sailing these same seas since the dawn of history, and today we are called upon to give new momentum to this long-standing coexistence, with our eyes set on the future.
Mr. President, I welcome you once again to Athens and I thank you.
