Annalena Baerbock for Greece: I am visiting one of our closest partners in Europe

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock talks about a visit to “one of our closest partners in Europe”, describing her upcoming trip to Athens. She also emphasizes the importance she attaches to keeping alive the memory of the atrocities committed in the country by the forces of the Nazi occupation.

“I am visiting one of our closest partners in Europe. Both in support of Ukraine and the joint European response to Russia’s attack, and in our determination to fight the climate crisis and massively accelerate the development of renewable energy sources, we have like-minded people in Athens,” she said in her statement, in view of her series of visits to Pakistan, Greece and Turkey.

Referring to World War II, she stressed that “as many Germans are familiar with Greece from an unforgettable vacation, so little is often known about the extent of the atrocities committed by the Germans here during the Nazi occupation.” As Foreign Minister, “it’s important for me to keep the memory alive,” he added.

Greece’s important role in the Mediterranean

“At the same time, Greece plays an important role in terms of security in the Mediterranean. At a time when the security order in Europe is fundamentally challenged by President Putin, we, as NATO allies and European partners, must be united. It is important that we solve the problems through talks and not through escalation of tensions,” she said, noting that this would also be an important issue in her talks in Turkey, which she described as a “necessary” partner.

Turkey is a “necessary” partner

“My trip to Turkey leads me to a necessary partner and a country that is as connected to ours as any other. Millions of people in Germany have a German and a Turkish heart. Gone are the days when this was considered a problem. For me, this double pulse means double strength “, says Annalena Baerbock, stressing at the same time that,” as in any close relationship, I will speak honestly to our Turkish friends: about the importance of NATO and its strengthening through the accession of Finland and Sweden, for ways out of Putin’s systematic war, for grain, and for Turkey’s mediation that gives hope to desperate people around the world.” She added that she will address issues “on which there are major, sometimes fundamental, differences: freedom of expression, human rights, implementation of the obligations of participation in the Council of Europe” and says: “We see that here our paths are moving further and further away, we have to make sure we get closer to each other again. ”

During her visit to Pakistan, the Foreign Minister pointed out that the crisis in Afghanistan has disappeared from the front pages of newspapers, but not from the focus of the German government and stated that Pakistan is a key partner of Berlin for the security of those people, from Afghanistan for which Germany is responsible.