The exceptional level of bilateral relations was confirmed during their meeting by the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giorgos Gerapetritis, and the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, at the Foreign Ministry this afternoon.
Earlier, ahead of the joint statements of the two Foreign Ministers, an agreement was signed on waiving the visa requirement for diplomatic visa holders, diplomatic, service and special passports, while the Greek Foreign Minister also made a reference in his remarks to the appointment of Giorgos Doni as coach of the Saudi national football team.
Mr. Gerapetritisstarted his remarks by praising the role of his Saudi counterpart in the region and in universal diplomacy in general, he said, and thanked Saudi Arabia “for the great effort it is making so that the consequences of the war currently raging in the wider region can be resolved and we can find the path of peace and prosperity again. I hope that these efforts will prosper as soon as possible.”
The Greek Foreign Minister said they had an extensive exchange of views on the situation in the wider Middle East, He expressed Greece’s support for Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries and noted that our country has demonstrated in practice its solidarity with Saudi Arabia both bilaterally and multilaterally, within the framework of the European Union and the United Nations.
“I emphasize that respect for international law must be universal, and protecting critical civilian infrastructure from any form of threat is a top priority for all,” he said. Gerapetritis stressing the special role of Saudi Arabia in the situation, which is evolving in relation to the peace processes, while thanking his counterpart for organizing repatriation operations from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries of the Greeks who were stranded in the region.
“Thank you very much for your help, Honorable Minister, in bringing back our compatriots from Saudi Arabia and the region safely under extremely difficult circumstances,” said Mr. Gerapetritis and added:
“I also stressed to the Honourable Minister the importance of protecting freedom of navigation. Maritime security is not just about global trade, but is directly related to the peace and prosperity of peoples, to food security, to the safety of seafarers.
Recognizing these urgent needs, Greece had already highlighted the importance of maritime security in May 2025 during Greece’s presidency of the United Nations Security Council, while Greece had already taken a leading role in Operation Shields, which is currently underway in the Red Sea to ensure freedom of navigation in the region.
He said that Greece as a global shipping power and Saudi Arabia, with its strong economic presence and its pivotal role in the geography of the region, together fully understand the dimensions of the crisis in the energy sector, the global supply chain and trade as a whole.
Also discussed, the situation developing in Gaza and the West Bank and, as the Greek Foreign Minister said, Gaza and the West Bank constitute a single and indivisible territorial unit for the creation of the Palestinian state through a political process leading to the solution of the two states, allowing Israelis and Palestinians to live together in a region that guarantees security and peace.
“The desperate situation on the ground remains a cause for concern. Gaza must remain the focus of diplomatic attention with the main priority being the enhanced and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to the region, as well as the full implementation of the peace plan and the entry and implementation of the second phase of that plan. Greece is ready to actively contribute to the next day in Gaza, both in the political field and in the stabilization and reconstruction in the region” he stressed.
He referred to the situation in Lebanon, welcoming the direct talks between Lebanon and Israel in Washington, which he said could contribute to long-term peace in the region.
As for Syria, he said that “we look forward to a peaceful and prosperous Syria, where all Syrians, regardless of gender, religion, nationality, will feel safe. And in this context, we stress the need for an inclusive and smooth transition of the country that ensures representation of all, without any exclusion.”
Also, an important part of the discussions was about our bilateral relations, and Mr. Gerapetritis stressed that Saudi Arabia is the first country in the Middle East with which Greece has established a Supreme Council for Strategic Cooperation and – he said – this is exactly how Greece demonstrates the importance it attaches to the role of Saudi Arabia as a great power for stability and prosperity in the region, but also for the security that is linked to the whole of Europe.
“Saudi Arabia is a strategic partner of Greece and the European Union. We cooperate effectively and beneficially within the framework of international and regional organizations.
Of course, the milestone of our bilateral cooperation, Honorable Minister, was the first meeting of the Supreme Cooperation Council that took place in January 2025 in Al-Ula. We look forward to having the opportunity in the coming period to hold the second High Council for Strategic Cooperation and to welcome the Saudi delegation here in Athens. For this reason, we proceeded to an overview of our bilateral relations as a whole and of course of all the agreements that are going to be concluded in the coming period, certainly in the light of recent developments in the wider region, but also at the international level,” the Greek Minister said.
It was also agreed to build on this momentum by further expanding cooperation in areas such as investment, energy, trade, connectivity.
“Today’s signing of our agreements on visa waiver for holders of diplomatic, service and special passports precisely serves to remove any barriers and bureaucracy for movement of people which will further contribute to the strengthening of relations between the two countries,” he said. Gerapetritis and added that in the area of connectivity, Greece attaches special importance to all routes, including the economic corridor between India, Middle East and Europe, the IMEC, where both countries attach special importance.
“For Greece, the IMEC is an important and ambitious project of major importance, which will make the Eastern Mediterranean a hub of stability and essential connectivity. It is a security infrastructure, a cultural corridor, not just an economic corridor, which will leave its imprint on the relations between the wider Middle East region and Europe,” he said.
Closing his remarks, Gerapetritis also referred to the appointment of Jiorgos Doni as coach of the Saudi national football team.
“Before I close, I would like to mention the people-to-people ties that now exist between Greece and Saudi Arabia and particularly welcome the appointment of a Greek coach as head coach of the Saudi Arabian national team ahead of the World Cup, Mr. George Doni. It is important that people now become familiar between the two nations. These ties will create an even greater level of familiarity and understanding between the peoples,” he said.
