Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis: “The Orthodox minority in Syria looks to Greece to guarantee its protection”

The visit to Lebanon and the meeting with His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch last Monday, 16 December 2024, was discussed, among other topics, by the Prime Minister of Greece Mr Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a full-length interview on the ERT news bulletin with Mr Apostolos Maggeriadis.

Asked if there is any contingency plan in mind, should the Orthodox community in Syria need assistance, the Prime Minister noted the following:

“First of all, Greece has a direct interest in the Middle East and has consistent good relations with all states and all governments. This offers us and gives us great credibility, taking into account of course that we will be a non-permanent member of the Security Council from the beginning of next year. So, we are de facto interlocutors for everyone.

Lebanon is a multicultural, multi-religious country. Of course, in both Lebanon and Syria there is a very important Orthodox community, Greek-speaking and Arabic-speaking. I also had the opportunity to meet with the Patriarch of Antioch, who represents the Orthodox element in the wider region. And I would say that we are the only European country that can talk directly with an important religious community that shapes developments in Lebanon but mainly in Syria.

That is why we are so interested in this whole discussion about ensuring the territorial integrity of Syria and the protection of religious minorities. Because there is an Orthodox minority in Syria that looks to Greece to guarantee its protection and rights.

“So, I would say it was a very useful visit. It is too early to say yet what will happen in Syria. We will discuss it in the European Council and I hope we can come up with a unified European line.”

Below is the entire interview with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on ERT’s main news bulletin: