Interview: Civilizations should seek dialogue, not confrontation, says former Greek president

ATHENS, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Civilizations should build bridges and pursue dialogue rather than seek confrontation, former Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

"Real civilizations are created to cooperate and to be in dialogue," Pavlopoulos said, noting that it is humanity's responsibility to foster communication rather than fuel division.

Pavlopoulos served as president of Greece from 2015 to 2020, a period that witnessed the steady deepening of Greece-China relations. During his tenure, high-level exchanges between the two countries intensified, while cultural and economic cooperation continued to expand.

Reflecting on the over 50 years of diplomatic ties between Greece and China, Pavlopoulos said the two countries' enduring relationship is rooted in shared civilizational values that have withstood the test of time and shifting global circumstances.

Although Greece and China differ greatly in size and geography, they share a profound common ground: Both are heirs to great civilizations, he noted.

"At the center of our civilizations is the human being -- humanism, solidarity, peace, justice and, especially, social justice," he said, adding that these cultural foundations, which date back centuries, have provided the basis for cooperation in all other fields.

According to Pavlopoulos, these shared values have helped Greece and China maintain and expand ties in a mutually beneficial way.

Regarding the intensifying strategic rivalry among major countries worldwide, Pavlopoulos argued that Europe should take the lead in promoting dialogue among civilizations.

He rejected the notion of separating East and West, calling instead for recognizing differences.

Turning to cultural exchanges between China and the European Union (EU), Pavlopoulos said that dialogue, rather than confrontation, offers the only viable philosophical approach to mutual understanding.

"There is no clash of civilizations," he said. "It is people who create conditions of conflict when they should be opening bridges for dialogue."

"Our response to those who speak of a clash of civilizations should be bridges -- bridges of civilization," Pavlopoulos said, adding that even economic relations could be framed within such a philosophy.

China's policies of reform, opening-up and the Belt and Road Initiative reflect this spirit of connectivity, he noted.

He expressed hope that the Greece-China friendship would endure for the years to come and would ultimately benefit all of humanity. Looking ahead to the future of China-EU relations, Pavlopoulos expressed confidence in the younger generation.

"The future belongs to the young," he said. "What will help them most is to understand the essence of our civilization -- our common world civilization." ■