Dendia’s message to Ankara: “For us, Cyprus is not far away – We will continue to respond to challenges calmly”

“The logic of the 19th century, the era of the gunboats, has irretrievably passed,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias, during his intervention in the Plenary, where the debate on the motion of no confidence is progressing.

“I want to be clear, the perception, not only of the government, but of the entire political world and Greek society, is that the Turkish people want peace, they want stability and they want cooperation with Greece, in the vast majority, because these will they bring development and prosperity to the region,” the foreign minister said.

“We will not stop repeating that for us Cyprus is not far away. And we will not stop answering every letter, every illegal and non-existent statement but also every illegal and non-existent agreement, every rhetoric against us. We will continue to deconstruct with arguments, but always based on international law, the false accusations that are launched against us, with calmness and sobriety, because we do not need to make counterclaims at the level of absurdity. Greece, democracies in general, do not respond to propaganda with propaganda. After all, this is what separates the democratic world from authoritarianism. We answer with the truth,” noted Mr. Dendias, referring to Ankara’s rhetoric and added: “We stand by our friends, our allies, those who do not question the treaties, those who confirm Greece’s sovereignty over its islands , who reject the delusions and who state the self-evident. That the logic of the 19th century, the era of the gunboats, has irretrievably passed.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke about all the axes of the foreign policy, a policy which he emphasized highlights the possibilities and opportunities that Greece has. “Greek diplomacy has entered the 21st century with a steady step, the country is changing, we are moving forward. Of course there are, as there always will be, errors and omissions. We do not claim any infallibility, like perhaps other ideological spaces. We are always able to communicate and always have open ears and a good attitude towards honest criticism and dialogue. National strategy does not belong exclusively to any party or government. Those implemented by each government concern the whole of the state, the whole of the nation”, he pointed out to add: “National consensus is absolutely necessary. Greece is a country that has grown taller and taller and this is a historical fact. The first time a national territory has grown since 1947. These successes bear the stamp of the first Mitsotakis government. They create national achievements though. Not party favors. The Parliament must support and strengthen in this direction, with inter-party and at the same time supra-party support. Away from petty expediencies. We have paid dearly for the many times we have been divided on foreign policy issues, since our struggle for independence in 1915, 1922, 1944. I am confident that these are now a thing of the past. And I would like to plead that we do not allow the toxicity that seems to be building in the run-up to the election season to poison the national unity. We must preserve this national unity.”

Mr. Dendias expressed the belief that “in a climate of unity on national issues, the ND government will continue to defend them effectively in its second four-year term.”

“I think I can ask my colleagues for a vote of confidence in the government today and from the Greek society for a vote of confidence in the upcoming elections”, underlined the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

RES-EMP

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