BAGHDAD, Iraq — Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias met with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein in Baghdad on Wednesday.

After praising the historic ties between Greece and Iraq, the minister said that the two memoranda of understanding signed in Baghdad between the two countries on Wednesday are "a testament to our mutual will to enhance these relations." He added that many Greek companies are willing to invest and trade in Iraq, as there is great potential for cooperation in areas such as construction, energy, renewables, pharmaceuticals and more.

The minister also referred to the broadening of regional cooperation in terms of a "trilateral mechanism among Iraq, Egypt and Jordan."

The two foreign ministers then discussed developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, with Dendias briefing Hussein on "Turkey’s gunboat diplomacy," and its decision to open Famagusta's Varosha coastal front in northern Cyprus.

"Greece has repeatedly stated its readiness to engage in a dialogue with Turkey," he stressed, on the basis of respect for International Law and the principle of good neighborly relations.

Concerning Iraq's relations with the European Union, Dendias said that Greece stands ready to support the Middle Eastern country in pursuing the promotion of these relations.

Virtually, every crisis, and every problematic situation in the region, namely Nagorno-Karabakh, Libya, Syria, Cyprus, South-Eastern Mediterranean, but also Iraq, has a common denominator: Turkey. https://t.co/BHC3mmf9lIpic.twitter.com/xF3lbfWBpY

— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) October 14, 2020