Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has stressed that "the international community and Greece are doing their utmost to ensure respect for the ceasefire” that was announced last month between Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Israel.
During a visit to Beirut on Monday, Mitsotakis said that Greece and the international community are also doing all they can to “ensure the implementation of UN Resolution 1701, which guarantees Lebanon's full sovereignty over Lebanese territory and provides the conditions for security and sustainable peace for its people."
Hezbollah and Israel exchanged fire across Lebanon's southern border for nearly a year in hostilities triggered by the Gaza war, before Israel went on the offensive in September, killing most of Hezbollah's top leadership. A ceasefire went into effect on November 27.
Following talks with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the Grand Serail, the Greek PM underlined that "Greece was and will remain a full partner in the efforts to rebuild Lebanon."
Mikati reiterated "the importance of adhering to the measures taken to implement the ceasefire and ensuring its continuity, especially the full implementation of Resolution 1701."
He considered that Greece's accession to the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the years 2025 and 2026 will help defend Lebanon's right to peace and stability, and stopping the Israeli aggression against it.
“We discussed joint cooperation and the potential of concluding bilateral economic and trade agreements between the two countries that may contribute to strengthening and enhancing relations and helping Lebanon emerge from its financial and economic crisis,” said Mikati.
He added that he stressed the important role of the Lebanese army, and Mitsotakis expressed Greece's willingness to work on securing the military's needs, an issue that was discussed in a meeting between Lebanon’s army commander, Gen. Joseph Aoun, and Chief of Staff of the Greek Army, Gen. Dimitrios Choupis.
Lebanese caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Abdullah Bou Habib, and his Greek counterpart, Georgios Gerapetritis, also held separate talks.
