ATHENS – The bonds that Greece and Great Britain share were highlighted by Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, while speaking at an event on Anglo-Greek Friendship organised by the Anglo-Hellenic League.

“Our friendship is more than two hundred years old,” he said at the event held on Thursday, “but we share many more things together. We are a maritime nation, and so are you. We are the oldest democracy; you are the oldest parliamentary democracy. We respect International Law; you respect International Law, including International Law of the Sea.”

At the same time, he noted that these days, one feels awkward speaking about International Law and Humanitarian Law and referred to the Greek Consul General in Mariupol, who is trapped in a basement of the city under fire. “I really never ever believed that we would live in the 21st century under these circumstances,” he commented.

In this context, he argued that Greece and the United Kingdom should see the challenges clearly and work to address the challenges of today together, and try to build a better world.

Referring to the event, Dendias expressed his pleasure to be participating in the event to celebrate Anglo-Hellenic friendship, while referring to a painting of Lord Byron behind him on the podium also took the opportunity to express his deep admiration of the famous British philhellene, who fought and died for the cause of Greek freedom, stressing that Greece will never forget that.