Gerapetritis takes over from Ambassador Kaskarelis at FM handover ceremony

It is “our duty to defend Greece’s sovereignty and national standing on a daily basis and non-negotiably,” newly sworn in Foreign Affairs Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis said during the ministry handover on Tuesday.

“We will carry this out fully” he said, adding that “Greek foreign policy has been and will remain a policy of principles, a policy based on international law, inspired by the principles of the UN Charter, and aims at regional collaboration and stability.”

Gerapetritis thanked caretaker FM Vassilios Kaskarelis, a career diplomat, and said the ambassador “is one of the wisest diplomats Greece has – we will need his wisdom in the future as well, and I hope to always count on his counsel and ideas.”

He also thanked former FM Nikos Dendias for his “undoubtedly successful term in this ministry, which resulted in strengthening Greece’s security, prosperity, and international prestige.”

Gerapetritis also spoke briefly of his new colleagues at the ministry, Deputy Ministers Giorgos Kotsiras (responsible for internatonal collaboration and human rights, as well as the Greek diaspora), Alexandra Papadopoulou (an experienced diplomat, including as Greek ambassador to the United States), and Kostas Fragogiannis (who was responsible for economic diplomacy and extroversion and remains in the ministry for a second term).

In his statements, Ambassador Kaskarelis noted that during his interim service his main focus was to maintain positive communication channels with foreign colleagues and particularly those of Cyprus, Turkiye, and Egypt.

SOURCE; ANA-MPA