Gerapetritis: The three pillars of Greece’s foreign policy

For the past two and a half years, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been pursuing a coherent and comprehensive diplomatic strategy built on three successive levels, Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said in an article published in To Vima newspaper.

According to Gerapetritis, the first pillar of this policy focused on consolidating calm and stability in Greece’s wider region.

“In an extremely complex and volatile international environment, and amid two ongoing wars not far from our borders, we have worked to build conditions of peaceful coexistence and security,” he noted. “We have limited tensions and addressed critical open issues in our neighborhood.”

A cornerstone of this effort, he said, was the development of a functional relationship with Turkiye, highlighted by the Athens Declaration signed in December 2023.
This agreement led to:

A sharp decline in violations of Greek national airspace,

A significant reduction in migration flows from the eastern routes,

A clear strengthening of bilateral trade, and

An increase in tourism from Turkiye to Greek islands, supported by a fast-track visa scheme secured by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the European Commission.

Gerapetritis also emphasized Greece’s renewed diplomatic engagement with Libya, despite longstanding challenges such as the disputed Turkish-Libyan maritime memorandum and the previous lack of communication with the internationally recognized government in western Libya.

“Today, Greece is the only European country that maintains open channels with both sides in Libya,” he stated, referring to Athens’ contacts with leaders in Tripoli and Benghazi.

As a result, the minister noted, migration flows from Libya have been significantly reduced, while recent Libyan announcements of maritime plots have respected Greece’s median line, signaling mutual understanding and progress.

Gerapetritis concluded that Greece’s foreign policy aims to serve as a stabilizing force and pillar of security in the Eastern Mediterranean, based on dialogue, mutual respect, and regional cooperation.