The need to defend Christian populations in Syria and the Middle East was emphasised by the Minister of National Defence, Nikos Dendias, during his visit to the US.
“We have a great obligation to protect the Christian populations of Syria, but also of the wider region,” Dendias emphasised in the contacts he had.
He placed particular emphasis on the need to preserve Christian religious monuments, especially Orthodox ones.
“We cannot wash our hands of this issue or consider it to be someone else’s business, whatever that may entail. We must include it in our horizon. These monuments are the fruits of a cultural presence spanning millennia,” the Greek minister said.
“Most of them are not even 100, 200, or 300 years old. It is unthinkable to let them be destroyed in our time,” he added.
Dendias had expressed the same concern about the fate of Christian populations in the Middle East before the ambassadors of EU member states.
“Greece and the European Union have a duty – I repeat, duty – to defend the Christian populations in Syria and the Middle East,” the minister stressed.
“In this region, there are populations with a history of centuries, as well as monuments dating back to the time of Justinian times and even earlier. It is unthinkable to let them disappear. They are an integral part of our European cultural identity,” he added.
This statement came following his visit to the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai, where he witnessed firsthand the importance of preserving Greek Orthodox cultural heritage in the region.
Syria’s non-elected President Ahmad Al Shara to visit Turkey on Tuesday
Ahmad Al Shara is visiting Turkey from Saudi Arabia, where he made his first trip since being unconstitutionally declared president, on Tuesday for talks on rebuilding the country and security issues that are likely to include Kurdish fighters near the Turkish border.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Al Shara will discuss “joint steps to be taken by the two countries for the economic recovery, sustainable stability and security in the country”, Turkey’s head of communications Fahrettin Altun said on X.
Turkey has played a key role in supporting radical Islamist groups against former president Bashar Al Assad throughout Syria’s civil war. Al Shara is the leader of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, a group formerly linked to Al Qaeda and Al Nusra Front, which played the main role in the downfall of the Assad regime.
READ MORE: Greek Foreign Minister Gerapetritis Visits Middle East Amid Ceasefire Developments.