Deputy FM: Greece in constant touch with Greek community in Syria

The Ministry and he, said Gerontopoulos, are keeping an open line with the Greek diplomatic authorities, the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchates and the Greek communities, and “a watchful eye ready to offer help whenever and if needed”.

On Syria, he said, “It is a difficult period,” the minister said, as “people

are experiencing fear and despite of what will happen from now on in Syria they have experienced a humanitarian catastrophy. Many of them have been forced to leave the area and Greeks were among them. The Greek families that remain in Syria are mostly in mixed marriaged and our ministry is in contact with them. The Greek embassy in Damascus is not open but there are some consulates, the consuls are in Damascus and the telephone numbers of the Greek Foreign Ministry are on the embassy’s site and they can contact us any moment.”

On the Antioch Patriarchate, Gerontopoulos said that his in open contact with Patriarch Ioannis who briefs the Foreign Ministry on the prevailing condition. “We are hoping and we do not stop our efforts” he said, referring to the abducted Metropolitans and he explains that his visit to Lebanon will be held under any condition.

Speaking about Mt. Sinai’s St. Catherine’s Monastery, which lies in an extremely dangerous area, Gerontopoulos said he and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos had both been briefed by Archbishop Damianos and said the monks are “doing everything they can to be able to maintain this cradle of Greek culture out of danger.”

Source: AMNA