It is with great pleasure and honor that I welcome today in Athens the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani - a distinguished and highly influential political figure, not only in the Gulf region but also on the international stage.

As I also noted at the very important Manama Dialogue Forum last November, Bahrain is not merely a regional actor. It is a state whose geopolitical power far exceeds its geographical size. The Gulf, by virtue of its strategic location and diplomatic reach, plays a decisive role in global diplomacy.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the honorable Minister and dear friend for the support of his country - and his personal support - for Greece and Cyprus in all international fora. Bahrain and Greece share a remarkable convergence of views on matters of international politics and International Law.

We are further cultivating this convergence through our joint presence on the United Nations Security Council. From this podium, I would like to welcome Bahrain to the Security Council as of January 1, 2026, and wish it a successful term. We will serve together at an exceptionally critical juncture for international multilateralism and the global security architecture.

Honorable Minister, I look forward to our close and constructive cooperation with a view to promoting international peace and security, with respect for International Law, and the principles and values enshrined in the UN Charter.

We agreed to undertake initiatives in areas that we both have identified as priorities, such as maritime security, based on the International Law of the Sea.

Greece, a nation with a long maritime tradition and the largest merchant fleet in the world, attaches particular importance to safeguarding freedom of navigation and protecting maritime trade routes.

In our exchange with the honorable Minister, we discussed the Middle East and developments in Gaza.

We look forward to the consolidation of the ceasefire in Gaza, the entry into the next phase of the peace plan, including the recovery and reconstruction of the area, as well as to a comprehensive political process towards a two-state solution.

Greece is in a position to contribute to the implementation of this plan, given its strategic relations with the countries of the Arab world, in particular its long-standing support for and cooperation with the Palestinian Authority, as well as its relations with Israel.

Greece's strong presence at the core of all major international frameworks guarantees a substantive contribution to the consolidation of peace in this long-suffering region.

We also discussed the fragile situation in Yemen, Somalia and the Red Sea, where Greece has assumed a leading role through its leadership of the maritime security operation ASPIDES.

It is of vital importance to avoid entering a new cycle of instability in the region.

We made particular reference to recent developments in Venezuela. The people of Venezuela have the inalienable right to decide on their future, in full respect of the fundamental principles of democracy and the rule of law.

At today's emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, which will take place shortly in New York, Greece will uphold the universal observance of International Law. Members of the Security Council, such as Greece and Bahrain, bear a special responsibility to uphold the principles that have provided the world with more than 80 years of peace.

We also agreed to work closely to strengthen our bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, and tourism.

Besides, we are both strong supporters of connectivity - through energy, transport, digital networks, and human mobility - given its role as the foundation of interregional cooperation, upon which universal security and stability are built.

With these thoughts, I would like once again to welcome you, honorable Minister, to Athens and to thank you for the exceptionally productive discussion we have had.

January 5, 2026