Speech by His Majesty the King at a lunch on the occasion of the official visit of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos

Mr President, Mrs Pavlopoulou,

Welcome! My wife and I are delighted that you're paying an official visit to our country.

Too often, these days, the focus is on perceived differences between our two countries. But there's so much more that unites us!

We owe a great deal of our shared values to your country's ancient civilisation - Greece as the cradle of democracy. You both - as legal experts - represent one particular value that connects us: the rule of law. And then there's Poseidon, the god of the sea. Your culture bears his watermark, just as ours does.

Your visit to our country carries great significance. All too often, stereotypes prevent people from understanding the motives of others. But by getting to know each other we can truly understand one another.

Your country, we know, is being sorely tested at the moment. The people of Greece are feeling the effects of an unrelenting economic crisis. For millions of Greeks, this is a grave daily concern.

On top of that, in recent years, vast numbers of people have sought refuge in your country. It's a problem that affects you, and the whole of Europe. We know how much is being asked of you. And we greatly admire the way that many in Greece - both professionals and ordinary citizens - are striving to lessen the plight of the refugees.

There are no easy solutions. There are only hard choices. Both economic and social. Paving the way for joint agreements has placed enormous demands on all those involved. And it takes resolve to continue down that difficult path together. Reforms remain necessary - though we know all too well how painful they are.

Guidance can be found - as so often - in the wisdom of Aristotle, who stressed the need for logos, pathos and ethos.
Logos involves making rational decisions, based on facts.
Pathos means taking account of the feelings of others.
And ethos is about courage and conviction.

We must never lose sight of your country's many strengths.
Greece's unique position as a cultural bridge between East and West, between North and South.
The beauty of the Greek landscape, which my wife and I know so well, and is so dear to us.
And the great talents of so many of your compatriots. We are proud that many young people from Greece are choosing to study in the Netherlands.

Tomorrow you'll be visiting places that symbolise opportunities for boosting our cooperation. The University of Amsterdam. The Social and Economic Council. And a seed bed for start-ups in Delft. I'm confident that these visits will help strengthen our ties and foster understanding between our peoples.

Mr President, Mrs Pavlopoulou, may I ask you to raise your glasses.

To your health!
To Poseidon and Aristotle!
And to cooperation and friendship between Greece and the Netherlands!