"The major issue and our request is the reunification of the Parthenon sculptures," said Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, in an interview today with "Parapolitika 90.1" radio station and journalist Panagiotis Tzenos.
As Mr. Varvitsiotis noted, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ contacts in London, "after years of silence", were very impressive and were made without wishing to stir any controversy, but with the aim of highlighting the historical necessity for the reunification of the sculptures, as is also requested in a recent decision by UNESCO, which was reached after a lot of effort.
Regarding the strategic agreement with Great Britain, the Alternate Minister stressed that it demonstrates that "the British interest in the region has not been diminished in the post Brexit era". In addition, the United Kingdom, as a guarantor power in Cyprus, is interested in the strength of the Republic of Cyprus and its interest in resolving the Cyprus issue has not been waned.
Mr. Varvitsiotis also added that coordinated actions are being taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the registration of Greeks living in Great Britain, so that they will be able to vote in the next elections.
Speaking about the instrumentalization of the migration issue by Belarus, the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs pointed out that the development of a common migration and asylum policy remains a main EU goal, and as a result some think that Europe can cave in to refugee and migration pressures.
Regarding the developments in the Balkans, the Alternate Minister noted that any delay in giving a European perspective to countries that are more mature for accession, such as Serbia and Montenegro, but also Albania and North Macedonia, "ultimately leads to the existence of centrifugal forces and the return of nationalist claims ". Mr. Varvitsiotis stressed that Greece plays a stabilizing role in the region and that the issue of enlargement will be discussed at the next European Councils.
Finally, referring to the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister to Moscow, which he will visit in the coming days as well, the Alternate minister underlined that the Greek government pursues an active foreign policy on all fronts within and beyond the EU.
November 17, 2021