FM stresses importance of cooperation and respect for international law
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias stressed the importance of cooperation when faced with global crises, including the pandemic and climate change, and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to international law and the preservation of peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean in his opening address to the 2021 Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mediterranean Conference on Tuesday.
“Cooperation is not an option, it is a necessity” Dendias stated, before adding that “it is of paramount importance for this cooperation to prosper that our international and regional partners abide by the same principles, namely respect for international law and good neighborly relations.”
The minister proceeded to state that not all of Greece’s neighbors shares its vision of peace, stability, and security in the eastern Mediterranean. However, Dendias stressed that while Greece will exhaust every option to explore avenues of cooperation with its neighbors, Greece will defend its sovereignty and sovereign rights as defined by international law against any threat or challenge.
“We need more cooperation, and we need better cooperation. What we do not need is further tension and further threats to stability. The only answer is to preserve and bolster the rules-based international system,” said Dendias in the conclusion to his address.
