The NATO Secretary General spoke about the issue of Greek-Turkish disputes in an exclusive interview given to APE.
In an exclusive interview with the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency, its Secretary General NATO Jens Stoltenberg underlines the particularly positive role of Greece in the current crisis conditions in Ukraine and Europe, characterizes it as a “pillar of stability” and a “reliable ally” in the southeastern wing of NATO.
On the issue of Greek-Turkish disputes The NATO Secretary General recommends dialogue, but at the same time stresses that in the current difficult circumstances, allies should not make provocative statements or actions.
On the other hand, he stressed the need to find a solution to the immediate accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, by finding appropriate answers to Turkey’s concerns about terrorism.
While announcing that NATO, through the new Strategic Doctrine, will seek to strengthen its unity and find solutions to the multiple complex problems and challenges of the new security era.
The following is the full interview of the NATO Secretary General to Maria Aroni for the Athenian and Macedonian News Agency:
Q: In the last two years, with a rapid peak since the start of the war in Ukraine, the geostrategic importance of Greece and its military infrastructure have been at the center of interest of both the Alliance and the United States. How do you perceive, Secretary General, the current stabilizing role of Greece in the southeastern wing of the Alliance?
Answer: Greece is a strong and valuable ally of NATO. It is strategically located in the Balkan Peninsula, at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, and contributes to our common security in many different ways. Greek troops play an important role in NATO missions, including in Kosovo and Iraq. In addition, Greece has made a valuable contribution to our maritime missions, including our development in the Aegean Sea, helping to reduce human trafficking in Europe. In the air, Greek fighter jets help keep the skies over Montenegro, northern Macedonia and Albania safe. Greece is also an example in terms of defense spending, meeting the 2% of GDP target and investing in significant new opportunities, including fifth-generation aircraft.
Greek ports are important hubs for Allied naval forces, as evidenced by the deployment of American and French aircraft carriers in Greek waters earlier this year. I also welcome Greece’s growing role as an energy hub, which helps reduce Europe ‘s dependence on Russian supplies. All of this demonstrates Greece’s commitment to keeping NATO strong as we continue to adapt our Alliance to respond to a changing security environment.
Q: Lately we have been watching an increasingly destabilizing role of an Ally, Turkey, which is dangerously increasing tensions in the region with repeated threatening statements against Greek sovereignty in the Greek Aegean islands, with numerous provocative fighter jet overflights not only deep in the Greek national airspace, but over inhabited Greek islands and with an increased flow of illegal immigrants to the borders of Greece once again. Would it not be reasonable to assume that NATO is currently making every effort to prevent Turkey from pursuing these incomprehensible and dangerous practices?
Answer: NATO is an Alliance of 30 countries, with different geography, history and political parties. We should not be surprised that sometimes there are strong disagreements between our countries. But different views and debates are an essential part of our democracies. Both Greece and Turkey have been committed Allies for decades, and every day, Greece and Turkey work together in NATO, along with 28 other Allies, to meet the most pressing security challenges.
The Mediterranean is vital to NATO. Greece, Turkey, many Allies and other countries operate there on a regular basis. There have been accidents with Greek and Turkish forces in the past and we must do everything we can to help reduce the risk of such accidents in the future. It is in everyone’s interest to avoid a recurrence of such situations. In 2020, NATO helped create a military disengagement mechanism between Greece and Turkey to reduce the risk of incidents in the Eastern Mediterranean. This includes an open line of communication between Greece and Turkey, to facilitate disengagement at sea or by air.
We urge Greece and Turkey to resolve their differences in the Aegean in a spirit of trust and allied solidarity. This means restraint, moderation and abstinence from any action or rhetoric that could escalate the situation. At a time when Putin’s war against Ukraine has shattered peace in Europe, it is even more important for the Allies to be united.
Finland and Sweden
Q: Finland and Sweden’s aspirations to join NATO risk being left unresolved for an indefinite period of time, with the risk of exposing Russia to increased Russian hostility if Turkey does not lift its very serious objections to its speedy accession. How does NATO intend to persuade Turkey, on the one hand, to remove the obstacles it poses and, on the other hand, to help these two candidate partners maintain an acceptable level of assurance in this new, unexpectedly sensitive “security gap”?
Answer: The decisions of Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership are historic and their accession will strengthen our Alliance. We must now address security concerns of all allies, including Turkey’s serious concerns about the PKK terrorist organization, and find a single way forward. Turkey has suffered from the PKK and has suffered more from terrorism than any other Ally. Thus, Turkey has reasonable concerns, which all Allies must take seriously.
My colleagues and I remain in close dialogue with representatives of Turkey, Finland and Sweden in order to address the Turkish concerns, but also to proceed with the accession of the two countries.
The security of Finland and Sweden is important to NATO and many allies have already made clear commitments to it. NATO remains vigilant and we have increased our presence in the region, including through more exercises.
Finland and Sweden have participated in many Allied exercises in recent days, including BALTOPS, which involved 7,500 people from 14 allies (Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, N, , Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States of America). This is a strong testament to NATO’s commitment to the region.
New strategic doctrine
Q: How can the new NATO Strategic Doctrine to be presented at the forthcoming Madrid Summit help to strengthen the Euro-Atlantic security architecture and restore the values-based world order and the rule of law? Can more substantial NATO-EU cooperation enhance the overall security situation in Europe?
Answer: We will take important decisions at the NATO Summit in Madrid, including the adoption of the new Strategic Doctrine. Along with the North Atlantic Treaty, the Strategic Doctrine is NATO’s most important document. It reaffirms the values, purpose and tasks of NATO. It will provide a collective assessment of the security environment and serve as a blueprint for the Alliance’s future adaptation.
The Strategic Doctrine of 2010 was based on the fact that Europe is at peace. But Putin’s war against Ukraine has shattered that peace. Also, the 2010 Doctrine did not mention China even once. Today, China’s growing influence is reshaping the world, with immediate consequences for our security and our democracies. After all, other challenges such as cyber threats and climate change are hardly mentioned in the 2010 Doctrine and are now impossible to ignore.
NATO represents a rule-based international order. In an age of strategic competition, maintaining this order will require even closer cooperation with like-minded partner countries and the European Union. NATO-EU co-operation is already at unprecedented levels on a number of issues, including support for Ukraine, peacekeeping in the Western Balkans and maritime security. I also welcome the European Union ‘s efforts in the field of defense, which can lead to greater defense investment and potential. In response to Russia’s war against Ukraine, we need even stronger multilateral institutions and even deeper cooperation in Europe and across the Atlantic.
Multiple challenges
Q: Climate change, the energy and food crisis as a direct consequence of the war in Ukraine, extremist ideologies leading to terrorist movements and heinous acts of violence and irregular mass migration are some of the issues that will inevitably inevitably arise. all the Allies. Is NATO able to meet serious challenges on the horizon, such as those that may come from China and Iran, or other authoritarian states? Will the new Strategic Doctrine address these issues in a convincing way?
Answer: Today we face an increasingly complex security environment, with many challenges at the same time. We do not have the luxury of choosing which one to deal with first. Russia’s brutal and illegal war against Ukraine has created the most serious security crisis in Europe since World War II. At the same time, we face threats and challenges from terrorism, cyberattacks, China’s coercive policies, subversive technologies, the impact of climate change on security.
Together, these challenges are greater than any country or any continent can face on its own. But in NATO, Greece is not alone. Together in the Alliance, our nations in Europe and North America are adapting cohesively as one, to an increasingly dangerous world. The transatlantic link has maintained our freedom and security for more than seventy years, and by being together, we will continue to preserve peace, prevent conflict and protect our people and our values.
