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Greece played nary relation successful the Israeli military’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla bound for Gaza Strip, and nary Israeli vessels progressive successful the cognition docked astatine a Greek port, the Greek Foreign Ministry has said.
The flotilla, which departed from Spain, was intercepted by Israeli subject ships connected April 30 successful planetary waters northwest of Crete. More than 170 activists were removed from the vessels and aboriginal transferred to Greek authorities.
Speaking during a regular property briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lana Zochiou said connection with Israel acrophobic lone the disembarkation successful Greece of the 176 radical aboard the flotilla pursuing the interception.
“Greece acted connected the ground of the rules of the Law of the Sea,” Zochiou said, adding that there had been “no anterior coordination with Israel regarding the operations.”
She said Greece undertook “the humanitarian task” of receiving those connected committee under hard conditions, with the purpose of preventing escalation and ensuring the information of the passengers earlier they returned to their location countries.
According to Zochiou, the Israeli vessel progressive did not dock astatine a Greek port. Instead, those aboard were brought ashore utilizing vessels of the Hellenic Coast Guard.
“For humanitarian reasons, Greece offered to let the 176 citizens to disembark connected its territory and ensured their instrumentality to their countries,” she said.
Asked astir the anticipation of a aboriginal visit by Donald Trump to Greece, Zochiou said nary authoritative arrangements had been made.
“Obviously, a affirmative cognition and the volition for a visit by the US president to Greece has been expressed. But for the moment, that is where matters stand,” she said.
On Tuesday, the US ambassador to Athens, Kimberly Guilfoyle, said she expected Trump to visit Greece but did not specify when it could happen.
Greek (GR) · 
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