FM Gerapetritis and Portuguese counterpart discuss bilateral relations, regional developments

Bilateral relations, the shared values uniting the two countries, prospects for further cooperation, and developments in the wider region were the main topics discussed during the meeting in Athens on Monday between Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis and his Portuguese counterpart, Paulo Rangel.

In his statements, Gerapetritis praised the "strong bonds of friendship" between Greece and Portugal, noting that the two countries share many common traits, such as their commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and their alignment on regional security issues. He underlined that both nations attach particular importance to maritime security, freedom of navigation, and respect for the Law of the Sea.

He also mentioned that Greece and Portugal share a common understanding of the conflicts and crises in the wider neighbourhood — including developments in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Africa. Referring specifically to Gaza, he highlighted the common stance of both countries in supporting humanitarian aid efforts and stressed the need to work to maintain the ceasefire.

Gerapetritis further noted that in a time of rising global geopolitical instability, the two countries share a common vision regarding the future of Europe — one that emphasises strategic autonomy and a stronger geopolitical role for the European Union.

He added that they discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation, agreeing on the need to strengthen it further, while also addressing issues such as civil protection and migration. "We are looking forward to the European Pact on Migration," he said, "so that there will be a fair division of responsibilities among EU member states," adding that Greece and Portugal will work together with third countries to reduce migration flows.

Finally, he described Portugal as a natural successor to Greece on the UN Security Council, expressing Greece’s support for Portugal’s candidacy.

On his part, Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel began his remarks in Greek, thanking Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for receiving him at the Maximos Mansion and Gerapetritis for their meeting.

"We share the same vision and the same outlook on the world," he said, praising the excellent cooperation between the two countries and their joint participation in international organisations. He noted that although both are medium-sized EU members, they possess a vast global network thanks to their large diasporas.

He added that the talks covered Ukraine, the Middle East, and the challenges in Africa, remarking that it would be hard to improve bilateral relations further, as they are already "extremely good." He pointed to the improvement of air connections between the two countries in recent years and noted that "we can do a lot together in the energy sector."

On migration, Rangel said that both Greece and Portugal are entry points to the EU, and that migration poses a major challenge for European countries. He stressed the need for a regulatory framework, explaining that "our countries need a workforce," while emphasising that "we are against human exploitation and illegal migration — not against migration itself."