The Diplomat
Greece’s new ambassador to Spain, Ilias Fotopoulos, presented his Copies of Letters of Credence at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, a few days after his arrival in Madrid.
Fotopoulos, who was Director for Europe at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has posted a message on his embassy’s Facebook account, in which he expresses his satisfaction for the task he has been entrusted with, recalls that he was already posted years ago in the diplomatic representation and expresses his desire to contribute to the promotion of relations between Spain and Greece.
“The relationship between our two countries should be an example of fruitful collaboration and mutual understanding both in matters of mutual interest and in matters where different approaches may inevitably arise”, the new ambassador said.
Fotopoulos’ remarks come a couple of months after Greece expressed its displeasure over military cooperation agreements announced at a Spanish-Turkish summit. Greece’s complaints, expressed by summoning the Spanish ambassador to Athens, prompted the foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, to travel to the Greek capital to meet with his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias, in an attempt to allay Greek unease. The Diplomat has learned from reliable sources that Dendias may return the visit in March or April.
In any case, the new ambassador recalls in his message that ‘the strong historical ties that unite Greece and Spain as EU partners, NATO allies and Mediterranean countries, as well as members of international organisations and mechanisms in the framework of which they continue to develop close cooperation, constitute the ideal and indispensable fulcrum on which to strengthen in a reliable, consistent and tangible way the dynamics of development and trust against the multifaceted challenges we face in our European continent, in its region and even beyond’.
“I am therefore convinced that our dedication to common values and principles will make a decisive contribution to meeting the imperative need for mutual support and joint action in the future.
