UK and Greece sign deal to bolster defence and trade ties

Hopes that agreement will help to 'promote peace, stability and create prosperity'

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias the latest deal with Britain provided 'an opportunity for closer, deeper, more honest bilateral relations'. EPA

Britain and Greece agreed to strengthen ties on Monday as they drafted a new framework to boost trade, security and digital co-operation.

It is also expected to enable bilateral deals to be done on education, tourism and maritime affairs between the two Nato member states.

“The framework we’ve signed with Greece will open up new opportunities for trade and investment in both countries, enabling better co-operation between businesses, investors and industry, and builds on strong security and defence co-operation as we seek to challenge malign actors that threaten to disrupt our freedoms and way of life,” said UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said the task now was to prove that the UK’s withdrawal from the EU would damage relations between Athens and London and was instead “an opportunity for closer, deeper, more honest bilateral relations”.

Speaking in London, Mr Dendias said his government’s foreign policy objectives were “pretty straightforward", in that they sought to “promote peace, stability and create prosperity”.

At a webinar organised by the Royal United Services Institute, he repeated his criticism of neighbouring Turkey, which is at odds with Greece on numerous matters, including maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Mr Dendias said Greece had chosen a different route, building partnerships with countries including Egypt, France and the UAE. He highlighted efforts to strengthen relationships with other Middle Eastern and North African countries, including Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq and Tunisia.

“The reason is quite simple," he said. "Stability around those countries means stability for the region, stability for us."