"France expresses the epitome of European solidarity, as provided in the Lisbon Treaty," underlined Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias in a statement after the conclusion of a working breakfast hosted by the French Embassy in Athens on Monday.
The working breakfast was held on the occasion of France taking over the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union, for the ambassadors of the other EU member states.
"Cooperation with our ally France is daily becoming stronger in all areas," underlined Dendias.
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He said that in his discussion with the EU member-state ambassadors, he had referred to the challenges Greece is facing, such as the problems in the Balkans.
However, this is especially in reference to the escalation in Turkey's rhetoric, which had reached entirely new levels, a level where it openly disputed Greece's sovereignty over the islands of eastern Aegean.
"Additionally, I emphasised the openings Greece is making in foreign policy, which it follows at the orders of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, with my visits both to Africa and to various other countries and the great interest that Greece now has in sub-Saharan Africa, in which France, protecting European interests, is extremely active," Dendias said.
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The priorities of the French Presidency in the first six months of 2022 were also discussed and Dendias thanked the Ambassador of France Patrick Maisonnave for organising the meeting.
Meanwhile, Dendias on Monday met with the new Ambassador of Qatar to Greece Waleed Al-Emadi at the Foreign Ministry in Athens.
Dendias wished him a successful term while during their meeting they discussed the relations between Greece and Qatar, the Foreign Ministry posted on Twitter.
FM @NikosDendias met w/new #Qatar Ambassador Waleed Al-Emadi at @GreeceMFA & wished him a successful term - talks focused on 🇬🇷🇶🇦 relations
Ο ΥΠΕΞ Ν.Δένδιας συναντήθηκε σήμερα με τον νέο Πρέσβη Κατάρ & του ευχήθηκε καλή επιτυχία στη θητεία του -οι διμερείς σχέσεις στο επίκεντρο pic.twitter.com/CpiaTaHZTk
— Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών (@GreeceMFA) January 17, 2022
Later on Monday, Nikos Dendias welcomed the new Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Greece Jung Il Lee and wished him a successful tenure.
Their talks focused on the deepening of bilateral ties in light of the 60th anniversary since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries, according to a second foreign ministry tweet.
FM @NikosDendias welcomed new Republic of #Korea Ambassador Jung Il Lee at @GreeceMFA & expressed wishes for a successful tenure - focus on deepening bilateral ties, in light of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations b/w 🇬🇷&🇰🇷 pic.twitter.com/FweiaSntsJ
— Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών (@GreeceMFA) January 17, 2022
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