Statements by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, during their meeting at Maximos Mansion
A.Tsipras: I would like to welcome you to Greece. It is really important to us the opportunity, we are given by your visit, to point out the long-term relations of friendship and the warm feeling shared by our peoples. Long-term relations which are evidenced by the fact that in two years we will celebrate the 100 years of official diplomatic relations between our countries, something that we are willing to point out also through the signing of an agreement between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs in order to upgrade the cooperation between the two countries.
We are on two different points of the European Charter, nevertheless, as NATO member countries and countries on the eastern borders of the EU, we are in constant dialogue, the upgrading of which, I believe, would be particularly beneficial in order to address the current challenges in the EU and to deepen our cooperation in areas of concern, such as economy, trade, energy, communication and transport.
With these thoughts I would like to welcome you once again and express my assurance that your visit is going to be a milestone in deepening the relations between the two countries.
An informal translation of the statements of the President of the Republic of Poland.
A.Duda: I would like to thank you for your warm welcome as well as the opportunity to meet and discuss with you. I am really pleased because during a 17 year period, there has been no presidential visit to your country and I hope my present visit will be a milestone of our mutual relations and will give new impetus to our cooperation.
As you have pointed out, Mr. Prime Minister, we are close to the 100 years of our diplomatic relations. During this time both the Polish and the Greek people had the opportunity to support each other in practice.
I can assure you, with great responsibility, that Greece is a beloved country among the Polish citizens. If that was not the case, I would not be able to be proud of the one million Polish people who visit your country.
Undoubtedly, however, there are many fields where we can develop a greater dynamic in our relations. I am really interested in deepening our economic relation and developing more intensive trade relations.
I am particularly pleased to have the opportunity to meet with powerful Greek ship-owners. And I hope that this cooperation in the shipbuilding and maritime sectors will give a new impetus to growth.
