The need to form conferences and permanent consultative bodies at regional level is now greater than ever, Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said in Parliament on Monday, responding to a question by Nea Aristera Deputy Sia Anagnostopoulou.

She had asked him about the initiative for a five-party Meeting of Coastal States of the East Mediterranean announced by the prime minister. 

Gerapetritis said the option of coastal and neighboring countries forming bodies on issues of common interest "is absolutely vital", and said that "the era of inertia has irrevocably passed. Today's intertia could lead to significant downgrading." Greece can take advantage of its current strong diplomatic alliances in the region and its participation in global organizations, he underlined, and said he commits to "absolutely brief Parliament on every issue concerning this conference."

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had announced at five-party meeting of Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Türkiye, and Libya on the migration issue, the protection of the maritime environment, connectivity, delimitation of maritime zones, and civil protection. 

Anagnostopoulou said during her question that it would be constructive and effective if this process included terms and conditions, instead of what happened at the Greece-US energy forum this past week, she said, "where Greece was presented as a piece of property, a platform, and a footstool of the US."