Athens in favor of territorial integrity of all states

Greece’s foreign affairs minister, Nikos Dendias, on Tuesday reiterated from Brussels that Athens is in favor of the territorial integrity of all states, something it holds as a principle and one based on the UN Charter and ecumenical values, in reference to the Ukraine crisis.

His statement came ahead of an extraordinary EU council of foreign ministers in Paris.

“We, however, have a special issue, one of protection of the Greek minority,” he said, referring to a sizable community of ethnic Greeks and Pontian Greeks in and around the port city of Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov.

The ethnic Greek community in Ukraine numbers some 150,000 people, Dendias said.

Dendias will visit the Indian subcontinent next month.

The statement comes as the Greek foreign ministry on Tuesday issued an advisory against travel to Ukraine.