Ομιλία στη Διεθνή Διάσκεψη Δωρητών «Μαζί για τους Λαούς της Τουρκίας και της Συρίας» απηύθυνε τη Δευτέρα 20 Μαρτίου 2023 ο Υπουργός Κλιματικής Κρίσης και Πολιτικής Προστασίας Χρήστος Στυλιανίδης.

Τη Διάσκεψη συνδιοργάνωσαν στις Βρυξέλλες η Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή με τη Σουηδική Προεδρία του Συμβουλίου της ΕΕ, σε συντονισμό με τις τουρκικές Αρχές. Στόχος, να συγκεντρωθούν κεφάλαια από κράτη-μέλη και διεθνείς δωρητές και να συντονιστεί η παροχή αρωγής για την αποκατάσταση και την κάλυψη αναγκών της επόμενης μέρας στις πληγείσες από τον καταστροφικό σεισμό των 7,8 Ρίχτερ περιοχές των δύο χωρών.

Μιλώντας από το βήμα της Διεθνούς Διάσκεψης, ο Χρήστος Στυλιανίδης τόνισε:

“Dear colleagues,

First of all, let me express my sincere condolences to the families of the victims of the catastrophic earthquake in Turkiye and Syria. Our thoughts are with all the survivors and all those affected by this unimaginable tragedy. Greece stands by these people at this time of need.

In circumstances like these, solidarity – not only in words but above all, in deeds – is the only response civilized nations can resort to.

No matter the differences or the existing tensions.

In the immediate aftermath of the devastating earthquake, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis immediately called President Erdogan and gave clear instructions to my colleague Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and myself to do whatever possible to address the needs of the people affected. And we did.

Specifically, in the first hours after the earthquake Greece mobilized and sent to the area our special ‘search and rescue’ teams. Our teams worked tirelessly on the ground, under extremely difficult conditions, together with their Turkish colleagues. And they saved lives.

At the same time, we mobilized humanitarian assistance both for Turkiye and Syria. It was targeted humanitarian aid to address the immediate needs of the victims sent through the European Civil Protection Mechanism. Especially, material to build mobile hospitals.

In addition, Foreign Minister Dendias and myself visited the affected areas in Turkiye immediately after the earthquake. Expressing in concrete terms the Greek people’s and the Greek government’s solidarity to all those affected.

We stood in solidarity with the Turkish and Syrian people impacted by the catastrophic earthquakes.

My dear friend Mevlut Cavusoglu knows that I personally accompanied part of the humanitarian relief sent to Turkey on the first night around 4 o’clock in the morning.

I strongly believe that this is a testimony of the overwhelming sympathy shared by all Greeks towards the Turkish and Syrian people.

After all, the magnitude of this catastrophe happened in our immediate neighbourhood.

Apart from the immense human cost, the massive earthquakes caused an unprecedented level of destruction in infrastructure.

And the overall cost of the damages is yet to be fully estimated.

Greece will spare no effort, both bilaterally and together with our EU partners, in assisting both countries to overcome the monumental challenges ahead.

We will continue to be present on the ground for both Turkiye and Syria.

We will do so by responding to the formally submitted requests through the European Civil Protection Mechanism, as well as bilaterally.

In the face of such challenges, there is only one way through.

To stand together for the people in Turkiye and Syria.

To this end, I would like to announce Greece’s pledge of five (5) million Euros in addition to what we have already offered in humanitarian assistance and beyond.

Thank you so much.”