ATHENS — All allies must focus on NATO's basic principles of democracy and respect for human rights and the rule of law, said Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias at a video conference of NATO Foreign Ministers being held on December 1-2, chaired by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

The minister said this becomes necessary as authoritarian and revisionist countries blatantly violate International Law and threaten the alliance’s stability by their actions in the Eastern Mediterranean, in Libya and also in the Caucasus.

The ministers discussed the report of an experts group on the NATO 2030 initiative, related to what the alliance's future role is and how it may adapt to developments. The group was appointed earlier in 2020 by Stoltenberg and tasked among others with drawing out ways to strengthen the political cohesion of the NATO alliance. The Reflection Group comprises representatives of Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Diplomatic sources said Dendias welcomed the findings of the group's report, which focuses on the need to resolve regional disputes under the United Nations Charter and the fundamental principles of International Law.

The Greek minister also referred to the strengthening of relations between the European Union and NATO as something that "can be done and must be done," and underlined it must be pursued by ensuring that all member countries in both organizations are included, starting with Cyprus.