Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement on Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias’ videotaped intervention in the proceedings of the 46th High-Level Segment of the UN Human Rights Council (Geneva, 24 February 2021)

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias participated in the proceedings of the 46th High-Level Segment of the UN Human Rights Council through a videotaped intervention, due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.The Minister pointed out that the Human Rights Council has the necessary instruments to positively contribute to the global efforts to protect human rights, stressing that Greece sees it as the proper platform for international and regional cooperation in the framework of our country’s foreign policy with respect to human rights.In this context, Mr. Dendias pointed to the need for constant monitoring of the human rights situation in Libya, Syria and Myanmar. With regard to Libya, he welcomed the recent election of the transitional government by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF), also underscoring that, in order to achieve political unity and effective protection of human rights, all foreign forces and mercenaries must withdraw from the country. With regard to Syria, he called for all involved parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. He also expressed serious concerns over the humanitarian repercussions of the crisis in Myanmar.Additionally, the Minister referred to Greece’s actions and initiatives in the context of the Human Rights Council, including the support Greece provides for refugees and migrants through healthcare, social services and education, pointing out that migration flows have continued during the pandemic and that state actors have made systematic attempts to instrumentalize human suffering. In this context, Mr. Dendias highlighted that the Hellenic Coast Guard rescued over 319,000 refugees and migrants in the period 2015 to 2020. Finally, the Minister underscored that the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque goes counter to any notion of respect for heritage and cultural rights, to which Greece attaches particular importance, noting that the relevant stakeholders such as UNESCO must be taken into account.Read the complete transcript of the Foreign Minister’s intervention here. Source