In statements with his Croatian counterpart Gordan Grlić Radman, who is visiting Athens, Foreign Affairs Minister George Gerapetritis emphasised that the Mediterranean must remain a sea of peace and that any attempt to turn it into a theatre of military operations would not be tolerated.
Gerapetritis stressed that Greece would ensure the Mediterranean remains untouched by military operations and continues to be “a sea of peace, a sea of its peoples”.
“ The main challenge is to prevent the spread of wars,” he said, adding that Greece and Croatia are promoting regional cooperation within the framework of their participation in the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) and the Quadrilateral Cooperation Scheme involving also Bulgaria and Romania.
The Greek Foreign Minister also stressed that both countries are coordinating within the MED9 group of countries, in which Croatia currently holds the presidency.
He also said the Mediterranean states alongside with the Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica, were working to implement the Mediterranean Pact and highlight the region’s strategic importance.
Regarding the Middle East, Gerapetritis said maintaining the ceasefire between the United States and Iran and continuing diplomatic efforts “allow us to be cautiously optimistic about finding a solution”.
He also said Greece remained willing to assist, when conditions permit, in initiatives aimed at ensuring free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. “Maintaining freedom of navigation is a universal obligation rooted in international law, specifically in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” he said.
On humanitarian aid to Gaza, Gerapetritis said Greece was among the countries that had provided the most assistance on multiple levels, adding that the country would remain closely engaged in developments concerning Gaza. He also said he and his Croatian counterpart had stressed the need to maintain the ceasefire and fully implement Phase Two of the peace plan, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2803.
Turning to the Balkans, he said Greece, because of its geography and history, attaches particular importance to the Western Balkans.
“As the oldest member of the European Union in the region, it remains a driving force in the integration of the Western Balkans into the European family, based on the principles of conditionality and merit, without, of course, deviating from the obligation borne by all concerned states to uphold the Αcquis Communautaire, the principles of the rule of law, international law and good-neighbourly relations,” he said.
He added that there could be no concessions for candidate countries regarding compliance with international law.
Gerapetritis also said Greece and Croatia had contributed to the EU’s enlargement policy and expressed the view that the Greek Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2027 could achieve a real breakthrough in the accession process for the Western Balkans.
The Greek minister also stressed that, as NATO allies, both countries were concerned about the future of the alliance, the fair distribution of defence burdens and the further strengthening of transatlantic relations.
For his part, the Croatian foreign minister praised bilateral relations between the two countries and their cooperation within the EU and NATO, as well as in the framework of MED9. He said Athens and Zagreb shared common positions on many issues and called for even greater cooperation in energy and the defence industry.
He also stressed the two countries’ commitment to NATO’s European pillar, while emphasising that Ukraine and the Middle East remained absolute priorities.
A solution must be found to protect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, he said. Gordan Grlić Radman, also said he discussed with Gerapetritis on migration. On the Western Balkans, he underlined the need for EU enlargement to proceed in a credible manner based on each country’s achievements.
