The future of Greece-UK relations post-Brexit, the return of the Parthenon Marbles and a wide range of issues were covered in an interview given by the British Ambassador to Greece Matthew Lodge in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency in Thessaloniki that was released on Sunday, in which he noted the opportunities for economic cooperation and investments by British firms.
In response to questions about the escalating tensions between Athens and Ankara, meanwhile, he noted that a rhetoric of threats does not help anyone and that such escalation between Greece and Turkiye was a source of concern for London, as a friend and ally of both countries.
As allies in NATO, the ambassador said, the two sides should find a way to discuss any disagreements calmly, with an open, sincere dialogue and “not play such games,” while he stressed the need for mutual respect. Lodge added that Great Britain will continue its efforts to encourage such a dialogue.
Referring to bilateral relations, the ambassador said these had “deep roots” and that there was a will to continue and deepen cooperation, even though some things had changed after Brexit.
One such area was economic cooperation, Lodge said, where he saw opportunities for investment by British firms, especially in the energy sector following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
This was one of the reasons why he was in northern Greece, the ambassador said, after seeing other countries find opportunities and investments in the area, while he noted that some UK energy companies, such as Lightsource BP and Hive Energy, were already active there.
The ambassador also referred to cooperation in education, including cooperation between Greek and British universities, and Greek investments in Britain, such as in shipping.
Other topics touched upon during the interview were the return of the Parthenon Sculptures and the relevant dialogue on this issue, the situation in Ukraine and the Russian invasion, as well as the energy crisis that this has triggered, Brexit and Britain’s role in Europe, and an EU future for the Western Balkans, which Lodge strongly supported.
On the criticism recently voiced by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Lodge declined to comment while noting that migration was a contemporary problem that will not simply go away, and one in which the right balance must be found.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
