Greece’s foreign minister condemns attacks in Ankara, Berlin, Zurich
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias on Tuesday condemned three separate suspected terror attacks in Turkey, Germany and Switzerland, and called for measures to boost stability in the Middle East and North Africa.
Kotzias was speaking to journalists in Cairo, where he is attending the fourth European Union-Arab League Ministerial Meeting at the Arab League headquarters in the Egyptian capital.
“I would like to express my support for the people of Turkey, Germany and Switzerland. I would also like to express my support for the families of the victims and to condemn these terrorists hits,” Kotzias said.
The Greek foreign minister was referring to three separate incidents on Monday night that have sent shockwaves around the world. In Ankara, Russia’s ambassador to Turkey was killed by a lone gunman while giving a speech at a photography exhibition. Shorty after, a truck being driven by a suspected terrorist ploughed through a holiday crowd in central Berlin, killing 12 people and injuring 48. Earlier in Zurich, meanwhile, a man burst into a prayer hall in an Islamic Center and started shooting, injuring three people seriously.
The gunman who killed Ambassador Andrei Karlov in Ankara was reportedly retaliating against Russia’s role in Syria, while authorities in Berlin are still looking for suspects. In Zurich, the gunman was found dead near the scene of the shooting several hours later, but has not yet been publicly identified.
“These hits reflect the instability that is being observed in the broader region, within which our country is a hub of stability,” Kotzias said. “They also underscore the need for policies that bolster stability, first and foremost in countries like great and historic Egypt… and for ending the war in Syria.”
