Plan to build broader alliances
The goal of expanding relations with states and regions outside of Greece’s usual surroundings (NATO, EU, Balkans, Mediterranean) was among the central objectives of Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias’ contacts this week in New York during the UN General Assembly.
To this end, Dendias met on Friday with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar for the fifth time in recent years, in a relationship that looks to be developing into a strategic one. The agenda of course included Ukraine, the situation in the Indo-Pacific region, but also the Eastern Mediterranean and the Cyprus problem.
Discussions are already under way between Greece and India on defense cooperation, the formation of a trilateral format with the United Arab Emirates and a common understanding on issues related to the International Law of the Sea.
Jaishankar reportedly met later with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and reportedly expressed some concerns about the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean. Dendias also met on Friday with US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland.
In total, Dendias had 35 bilateral and multilateral meetings during his five days in New York, the majority of which were with representatives of countries that do not have frequent opportunities for contact for a variety of reasons.
In some cases a bilateral meeting at the level of foreign ministers was held for the first time (Tanzania, Mauritania, Madagascar, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Palau). In all his contacts, despite the obvious priority of the war in Ukraine and its consequences, Dendias briefed his international interlocutors in detail on the Greek positions vis-a-vis the intensification of Turkish provocations and threats and the Cyprus problem, as well as on issues of wider interest, such as the situation in Libya and the new crisis in the Caucasus.
The promotion of Greece’s candidacy as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the period 2025-26 was also a central issue.
