Greece and Lebanon will seek to upgrade their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Monday during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Athens.
Mitsotakis said Aoun’s visit confirmed the “deep ties” between the two peoples and reaffirmed Greece’s support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and unity.
“Greece stands by you,” Mitsotakis said, stressing the importance of preserving Lebanon’s multicultural character and protecting its Christian communities. He said a strong Lebanese state with a central government capable of ensuring the security of all its citizens was essential.
Mitsotakis welcomed Aoun’s efforts to pursue diplomacy and direct dialogue with Israel, with US mediation, and said Greece was ready to support efforts to de-escalate regional tensions.
He also said Lebanon would remain high on the Greek and European agendas, adding that Greece would seek to advance discussions on a future EU-Lebanon partnership during its upcoming presidency of the European Union.
