Thirty-three Greeks in Syria, along with their families were repatriated after a coordinated operation by the Greek state. The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement stressing that “under the concerted efforts of the Foreign Ministry and the Greek Embassies in Beirut and Damascus, today, December 30, the mission of repatriating thirty-three Greeks and their families was successfully completed”.
The Ministry highlighted its services were “on high alert to provide any assistance required”.
Meanwhile, commenting on Syria, Greece’s Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis emphasized the situation remained “extremely volatile”, adding it was absolutely imperative for a smooth transition in the region.
Talking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), Gerapetritis stressed that this period of political transition should be free from foreign interventions.
The head of the Greek diplomatic corps highlighted Greece’s special attention to securing the safety of the Greeks in Syria and the Greek Orthodox community in Syria, as well as ending and reversing refugee flows. To this end, he announced initiatives for a more active European Union presence in Syria.
Specifically, Gerapetritis stated, “What is paramount in Syria is to ensure the country’s unity, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The country is currently in a transitional state, and it is absolutely necessary that this transition be smooth, inclusive in the spirit of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, and free from foreign interventions. The new governance must be based on democratic legitimacy and must unwaveringly respect human rights and international law.”
