The foreign minister emphasized that the revisionist forces of the 21st century apply Goebbels’ saying with modern means: “when you tell a big lie and repeat it, in the end, people will believe it.”
The message that Greece vis-à-vis revisionismin revival of empires, in the effort distortion of reality and on Gaebelian practicesmaintains a position of principle that stems from respect for International Law, and especially for International Law of the Sea, invests in alliances and friendships, projects the truth and deconstructs the misinformation and fake news, the Secretary of State sends Nikos Dendias with his article in the special edition “Big Ideas” of the New York Times, published with the newspaper “Kefalaio”.
In his article, entitled “the attempt to distort reality and our response”, Nikos Dendias observes that the Russian invasion of Ukraine brought back to the fore concepts such as the violation of territorial integrity, encroachment on national sovereignty and respect for International Law, as well as Humanitarian Law, but also terms such as spheres of influence, revisionism, revival of empires.
“In Greece and Cyprus, unfortunately, we have been experiencing this new reality every day for decades” underlines the Minister of Foreign Affairs, stating that “we see this behavior in the Aegean, the Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus, Iraq, Syria, Libya, the Balkans and the Caucasus”. In fact, he emphasizes that recently “we are observing an escalation, which does not remain only in words, but also extends to the field”
At the same time, he finds that Greece and the rest of Europe are experiencing a coordinated and state-orchestrated effort to distort reality. “Effort, which uses propaganda, disinformation and spreading fake news as a means. In this context, the tarnishing of the image of the alleged opponent, the distortion of reality in a scientific and organized manner is projected, by every possible means, so that the line between myth and reality becomes indiscernible,” he explains. As he notes, the revisionist forces of the 21st century apply with modern means Goebbels’ saying: “when you tell a big lie and repeat it, in the end, people will believe it” and adds that for these countries, “the truth is the greatest enemy of the state” .
Against this conscious effort to create a new reality and erode the truth, Greece has the obligation to resist, explains Nikos Dendias. The important difference compared to the past, as he states, “is that we now have to do it ourselves: we have expanded our alliances while many now understand the threat that revisionism, wherever it comes from, poses to the international security system . In addition, he notes that this is evidenced by the massive reaction to the Russian invasion, the imposition of sanctions, not only by the countries of the European Union and the US, but also by countries such as Japan and some candidate countries for joining the Union, such as Albania and North Macedonia.
In particular, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is sending the message that, in the face of the above challenges, Greek foreign policy acts simultaneously on three axes. “First, he takes a stand of principle. Attitude stemming from respect for International Law, and especially International Law of the Sea. And of course a position of principle regarding respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states”, as he makes clear. Moreover, he explains that Greece has maintained this attitude since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, showing practical solidarity to Ukraine, to our partners in Central and Eastern Europe and more recently to Sweden and Finland. In this context, Nikos Dendias notes “why we cannot not support what we ask from others” and underlines: “We cannot live in two realities: the one where we actively contribute to international events, take positions, receive support, but we also have costs. And the virtual one, advocated by some, in which we enjoy all the privileges, without obligations”.
Second, it underlines the need for the country to invest in alliances and friendships, make continuous efforts, build them and then maintain them. “In less than three years we have signed four defense agreements with the US, France and the United Arab Emirates. At the same time, we jointly decided with three neighboring countries on the demarcation of maritime zones based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS. We have regained the thread of relations with our European partners. Some countries had not had bilateral meetings for decades. We have established strategic corporate ties with the countries of the Middle East, the Gulf and North Africa. We have made overtures to rising world powers that share the same principles as us, such as India and Japan. And we did not forget Epirus with the greatest economic and population growth. Over the course of a few months I visited seven countries in Sub-Saharan Africa,” says Nikos Dendias.
Third, it proclaims that in the face of “Giebelian” practices, the only response is to project the truth, as well as to deconstruct misinformation and fake news. “Greece leaves nothing unanswered. We must deconstruct with arguments, based on International Law, the baseless and false accusations that are launched against us. We have an obligation not to let even the slightest doubt wander, because the repetition of the lie becomes entrenched. Greece, like all democratic countries, do not respond to propaganda with their own propaganda. Because what separates the democratic world from totalitarianism is the truth, the projection of reality, as it is, not as some try to make it up. The search for reality today is becoming more and more difficult. Forces that wish to revive the past, to turn back the clock of history, are making painstaking efforts to hide it.”
Finally, the Minister of Foreign Affairs makes it clear that it is the duty of Greece and all states not to allow regression and to create a vision for a better future.
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