Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis’ statements following his meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore, Vivian Balakrishnan[...]

It is a great pleasure and honour to welcome to Athens today the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Vivian Balakrishnan, a distinguished figure in international diplomacy. I had the distinct honour of holding a wide-ranging discussion with him and benefiting from his wisdom and knowledge.

This year, Greece and Singapore celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations.

Today's visit reaffirms our shared will to expand and deepen our cooperation.

Our countries stand firmly in support of international multilateralism, International Law, particularly the International Law of the Sea, the international protection of human rights, and the UN Charter. The principles and values upon which the post-war international order was built cannot and must not be undermined.

Our discussion focused on current international developments, in particular the war that has been raging for 34 days in the wider Middle East.

We call on all parties for immediate de-escalation and the exercise of maximum restraint. Respect for International Law, and in particular the protection of civilians, must be universal. The suffering of civilians must cease.

Diplomacy, not war, is the necessary path to a lasting peace in the region.

We express our solidarity with allied countries in the region affected by the conflict. In particular, Greece supports respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon and expresses full support to its government and people.

Both of our countries, Greece and Singapore, attach particular importance to the freedom of the seas. The impact of the war on freedom of navigation - a matter we had the opportunity to discuss with the Honorable Minister - along with its effects on supply chains and energy security, is already being felt and constitutes a major challenge for the period ahead.

Greece's geography and maritime tradition have rendered maritime security an integral part of our national strategy. Shortly, we will participate in a video conference convened at the initiative of the United Kingdom, with broad international participation, on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. Greece considers the safety of our seafarers and vessels, as well as unhindered passage, as non-negotiable.

Honourable Minister,

Following the visit of the Greek Prime Minister to Singapore last November, your presence here today confirms the mutual will to further deepen our cooperation.

As countries located at key crossroads of the world and with strong positions in shipping, we agreed to enhance our bilateral cooperation in this sector and to coordinate our actions, so as to jointly develop initiatives for international shipping, including within the framework of the International Maritime Organisation.

We discussed the significant prospects for deepening our cooperation in cutting-edge sectors, notably green energy, high technology and innovation, and energy transition, and, of course, the enhancement of two-way tourism flows.

Greek exports to Singapore increased significantly in 2025, but there remains considerable potential for further development of bilateral trade.

In the framework of our cooperation within the European Union, we actively support making full use of the opportunities offered by the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Singapore.

We discussed Singapore's assumption of the Presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2027, which, by a fortunate coincidence, coincides with Greece assuming the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2027.

This presents a unique opportunity for our two countries, as presiding states of two of the world's largest regional organisations, to advance interregional EU-ASEAN cooperation and the prospect of upgrading it to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).

I would like to emphasize that, in today's constantly evolving international geopolitical environment, coordination with like-minded states - such as Singapore and Greece - is increasingly necessary. Despite our geographical distance, we converge on key issues, share common concerns, and uphold shared principles and values, acting on the basis of fundamental rules of International Law and multilateralism.

I would like once again to welcome you to Athens, dear Minister, and to thank you for the special honour of your visit.

April 2, 2026