"The UK-Greece relationship is hugely important. From our work together in NATO to tackling shared challenges like illegal migration, to joint efforts to resolve the crisis in the Middle East and war in Ukraine," a British government spokesperson said.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his dismay that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled their scheduled meeting in London "mere hours before its slated time", in a statement on Monday evening.
The two leaders were scheduled to meet on Tuesday, as part of Mitsotakis' working visit to the UK. The cancellation came at Sunak's initiative.
Commenting on the move, Mitsotakis said that "Greece and Britain are joined by traditional ties of friendship, and the framework of our bilateral relations is especially broad."
He noted that Greece's stance on the Parthenon Sculptures is well known, adding that he had anticipated "engaging in a discussion with my British counterpart on this issue, as well as addressing significant global challenges such as the situations in Gaza and Ukraine, the climate crisis, and migration."
Those who firmly believe in the correctness and justice of their positions are never hesitant to engage in constructive argumentation and debate, noted Mitsotakis.