Against the backdrop of Libya’s verbal communication and with challenges from the Libyan camp intensifying, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis sent a message from Tripoli about the need to continue dialogue based on mutually beneficial relations, emphasizing the trinity of warming talks, security in the Eastern Mediterranean, and adherence to international law. The productive climate in Gerapetritis’s talks with the Libyan side prevailed after diplomatic tensions had risen due to Tripoli’s accusations that complicated the situation, insisting on challenging rhetoric and “stepping on” the Turkish-Libyan memorandum.
The Greek Foreign Minister, amid intensifying pressures on the migration front with flows continuing from Libya to the shores of Crete, emphasized what Athens made clear from the first moment: that no reaction will discourage the Greek government from exercising, responsibly and practically, the country’s sovereign rights. It is important to note that the Greek Foreign Minister emphasized that Greece can and should be Libya’s voice in Europe and the whole world.
After his meetings concluded, Gerapetritis characterized the climate of talks with Tripoli’s top leadership as positive and productive. The bilateral agenda will include issues such as migration, trade agreements, and maritime zone delimitation. During the visit, the Greek Foreign Minister met with his Libyan counterpart, Taher Al-Baour, while also holding talks with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh and Presidential Council President Mohamed Menfi.
Gerapetritis’s visit to Tripoli has its own significance and takes place at a critical time after Libya’s government officially protested against Greece to the UN, submitting – in a provocative move – a Verbal Note accusing it of violating its sovereign rights.
Gerapetritis’s message from Tripoli, Libya
The Greek Foreign Minister sent a message from Tripoli that dialogue is the only solution and that the goal is regional security and peace. “It is a great honor to be in Tripoli today. On behalf of the Greek government and the Greek people, I bring you a message of peace, friendship, and good neighborliness. Libya is Greece’s natural neighbor. It is an ally of civilization and history, and our pursuit is to continue together the path toward broader regional security and peace. There are no problems that cannot be solved through dialogue, and those things that unite us, such as geography and history, are far more than those that divide us. For this reason, I look forward to our cooperation and hope that my visit will mark the beginning of a good and constructive relationship between our two countries and governments,” emphasized Gerapetritis, who met with his counterpart, Taher al-Baour.
Libya’s Foreign Minister said while welcoming Giorgos Gerapetritis: “We welcome you to Tripoli. We are Mediterranean peoples, connected by historical cultural relations. Libya-Greece relations are always warm. There are always issues that affect relations between the two countries. Of course, these problems should not become obstacles to relations between states. Especially since we are in the same region. The Mediterranean is one of the most beautiful regions in the world.
The Mediterranean has played a major role in relations between the two states. These factors force us politicians to work on our relations. I wish this trip to be a beginning for a good turn in relations between the two countries.”
