Official celebration events took place on the Greek island of Poros on Monday in connection with the 190th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Greece.
POROS ISLAND (Greece) (Pakistan Point news / Sputnik - 17th September, 2018) Official celebration events took place on the Greek island of Poros on Monday in connection with the 190th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Greece.
RUSSIA FIRST TO RECOGNISE GREECE INDEPENDENCE
Russian Ambassador to Greece Andrey Maslov, commander of Russian Black Sea frigate Admiral Essen, Cmdr. Anton Kuprin, and mayor of the Greek island Yannis Dimitriadis laid wreaths to the marble plaque at the residence of Governor of the First Hellenic Republic Ioannis Kapodistrias.
The sailors of the Russian ship, which visited a Poros port on a business occasion, military attaches, the Russian embassy's officials, as well as representatives of the Greek public and Russian-speaking residents of the island also took part in the ceremony.
"We very much appreciate our relations with Russia, cherish them and intend to strengthen them," Dimitriadis said after the ceremony.
The two countries have indeed deep historic ties, since Russian played a decisive role in Greece obtaining independence.
"Today is a big date - 190 years ago, on September 17, 1828, the Russian Empire envoy, Count Mark Bulgari, presented his credentials to the first governor of Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias. Kapodistrias headed the Russian Foreign Ministry for several years and then was sent to Greece by the Russian tsar and became its first governor after the proclamation of the country's independence," the Russian ambassador told Sputnik.
He noted that there were many Greeks in the Russian Foreign Ministry at that time. Mark Bulgari was also Greek and now his family is well known in the north of Greece, in Ioannina.
Maslov recalled that Russia was the first country to establish official relations with Greece and thus recognizing its independence.
"The recognition from other states came only after that," the ambassador clarified.
He noted that the anniversary date would be also celebrated in Moscow. A special reception is expected to take place on Wednesday, with the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Greek Ambassador to Moscow Andreas Friganas is also invited. The relevant events are planned in Greece too.
Speaking about the current state of Russian-Greek relations amid general deterioration of ties with the West, the ambassador expressed belief that they would soon be restored.
HISTORY OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
Official relations between Russia and Greece were established in 1828. At that time, Greece was not yet an independent state in the full sense of the word and therefore the document was about the establishment of official rather than diplomatic relations, the Russian diplomats clarified.
Other states, primarily the United Kingdom, for a long time refrained from accrediting their official representatives to Greece and recognizing Greece as an independent state.
In 1829, in accordance with the Adrianople peace treaty between Russia and Turkey, the sultan recognized the autonomy of Greece and then, one year later, recognized its independence.
Russia played a significant role in obtaining independence by Greece, actively facilitating the development of the young Greek state. With Russia's support Greece became a unified state and obtained full independence in 1830.
RUSSIAN SHIP VISITING GREEK PORT
Russian frigate Admiral Essen docked in the port of Poros Island on Sunday and will remain there until Wednesday, with the crew of the ship expected to do sightseeing on the island.
After the wreath-laying ceremony, sailors organized a tour of the vessel for the Russian ambassador.
Russia's presence on the Poros Island began well before the arrival of Kapodistrias and lasted for some 100 years. Poros was the main naval base of the Russian Empire in the Mediterranean.
