Communiqué issued by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (2 March 2020)

M. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, spoke in the evening of Sunday 1 March to his Greek counterpart, Mr Níkos Déndias, and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy, Mr Josep Borrell. He recalled the appeal by 14 foreign ministers from European Union member countries for the immediate cessation of the hostilities by the Syrian regime and its allies in Idlib, to end the disastrous deterioration of the humanitarian situation and the large-scale violations of international humanitarian law. He reiterated in the strongest terms his condemnation of this offensive by the Syrian regime and its – particularly Russian – supporters, and of the attacks on Turkish forces in the area.

In this context, the Minister expressed France’s full and wholehearted solidarity with Greece, which is undergoing increased migratory pressure at its maritime and land borders. He also voiced support for Greece’s request to the European Union’s High Representative for an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council to be organized in the next few days to set out a common position and joint actions by the member countries in the face of this new crisis situation./.