ΑΤΗΕΝS — "For centuries, civilisations and religions that flourished in the Mediterranean Basin co-existed and found fertile ground for further growth," underlined Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias on Friday, addressing the international workshop "The Arabs and Arabia in Byzantine sources: People, Places, Mentalities".

"However, in our time extreme ideas threaten to revive animosities and tensions that had been forgotten for years," Dendias said, adding: "This is the case with Turkey's decision to turn Hagia Sophia and the Chora Monastery into mosques. Both monuments have been classed as World Heritage Monuments and, unfortunately, are being used for political ends."

Concluding, Dendias said that Greece's hope was to build or rather to restore a bridge of peaceful co-existence with Arab countries that will be based on common principles and values, such as respect for international law, particularly the Law of the Sea.