Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed meets Greek Prime Minister

UAE and Greece agree to establish strategic partnership

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, meets Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister of Greece, on Wednesday. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, meets Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister of Greece, on Wednesday. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, meets Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister of Greece, on Wednesday. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, meets Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister of Greece, on Wednesday. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces said the strategic partnership established between the two countries would boost co-operation across various fields.

"I had the pleasure of meeting Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister of Greece, and I am happy to announce the establishment of a strategic partnership to enhance political, economic and cultural co-operation between our countries," Sheikh Mohamed said on Twitter.

Mr Mitsotakis said he and Sheikh Mohamed discussed the rapid progress in bilateral relations as well as developments in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

In a joint statement, the two countries condemned Turkey’s "violations of the sovereignty and sovereign rights of the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of Cyprus, as well as its overall aggressive conduct in the Middle East, South-East Mediterranean and South Caucasus in blatant violation of international law".

They called on Turkey to conform with international law and cease it's "illegal and provocative actions".

They pledged their commitment to the UN Charter, international law and the need for peace and security worldwide. They spoke of the importance of not interfering in other countries' affairs and respect for state sovereignty.

The two countries also expressed concern about "exporting terrorism and extremism throughout the region and the exploitation of conditions in areas of conflict areas".

Both sides said they were committed to combating terrorism in all its forms and urged the international community to take a firm stand against such aggression.

The strategic partnership agreement was signed on Wednesday by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, and Nikos Dendias, the Greece's Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The agreement will lead to increased co-operation between the UAE and Greece in trade, investment and tourism; culture; energy; digital and government services, food and agriculture; and defence.

Mr Mitsotakis arrived at the Presidential Airport in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, when he was greeted by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and several senior officials.

His visit to the Emirates came after the UAE and Greece agreed to strengthen relations during a meeting in Athens in September.

Sheikh Abdullah had travelled to the Greek capital to meet Mr Mitsotakis and Mr Dendias. He said the two countries had come a long way since establishing relations in 1975.

"Today, the partnership between our two nations covers a broad spectrum of co-operation in all fields and scopes, including economics, politics, defence, culture, governance and food security," he said at the time.

By the end of last year, non-oil trade between the UAE and Greece reached $450 million.

Last year, more than 24,000 Greek tourists visited the UAE on 14 weekly flights operated by the two countries' national airlines.

More than 4,000 Greek citizens live in the UAE.