Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke by phone on Monday with Patriarch John X of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All The East, expressing Greece’s support to the Orthodox Primate and his flock.
Mitsotakis reassured His Beatitude John X that Greece would contribute wherever needed while reiterating the country’s position about an inclusive future for all minorities in war-torn Syria in the post-Assad period.
Yesterday, the Greek Foreign Ministry issued a statement reading:
“Greece welcomes the fall of the authoritarian Assad regime in Syria. Immediate steps must be taken to secure peace in the country and to ensure a smooth transition of power to a democratically legitimized government, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254. Greece remains committed to supporting the unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of Syria.”
The statement further emphasized the need to protect civilians, including religious minorities, as well as to safeguard Syria’s religious monuments and rich cultural heritage.
“The return to democratic normalcy must mark the end of refugee flows from the war-torn country and pave the way for the safe return of Syrian refugees to their homes,” it added.
“As a member of the United Nations Security Council and with strong ties to the Arab world, Greece stands ready to contribute to the swift restoration of peace and prosperity in Syria,” the statement concluded.
Reuters reported on Sunday evening that Bashar al-Assad and his family have arrived in Russia and have been granted asylum by the Russian authorities on humanitarian grounds, according to several Russian-language news agencies, who in turn cited a Kremlin source.
