(Communicated by the President's Spokesperson)

President Reuven Rivlin this morning, (Tuesday, July 7) held a working meeting at his residence with the Foreign Minister of Greece, Nikos Kotzias, during his visit to Israel.

The President welcomed the Foreign Minister and began by expressing his concern about the current financial crisis in Greece.  He said, "The Israeli people see what is happening in Greece and we share in your pain. Greece is the birthplace of democracy, and we have seen over the last days the power of the democratic voice. The true sovereign of any country is the people, and your people have made their voice heard. We hope that a solution is found that is acceptable to all sides."

The President went on to speak about the strong ties between Israel and Greece, and in particular noted Israel's appreciation for the assistance of the Greek people during the Carmel fire disaster in 2010.  He said, "We understand today more than ever, that the world is becoming smaller. What happens in one region affects people living across the world. This is true of the economy, this is true when we speak about the environment, and it is true when we speak about the threats of fundamentalism. Together, all humanity, share a common future and we must work to try and shape it together. This is our duty and it is our responsibility to our children and grandchildren."

The Foreign Minister thanked the President for his warm welcome and said, "It is a great honor for me to be here. We are two peoples living in this part of the world for many thousands of years. The whole of Western culture is based on our culture, history and traditions - only sometimes they forget this. I think we not only have a common past, but we will have a common future, which is in the interest of our peoples."