The full awareness of the difficulties that exist in Greek-Turkish relations, but also the demonstration by Turkey of a differentiated behavior and the improvement of bilateral communication, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias records in his interview with “Apogeumatini”.

Depicting the climate of bilateral relations, Nikos Dendias discerns a new landscape in Greek-Turkish relations after the devastating earthquakes of February 6 in Turkey and his visit to Antioch. In particular, it records that Turkey demonstrates a significantly different behavior after the practical manifestation of Greek solidarity with the Turkish people.

The main features of this behavior, as he points out, include the decline in the previously intense Turkish rhetoric and the absence of delinquency in the Aegean. As he reports, the violations in the Aegean have been reduced to almost zero, the extreme aggressive rhetoric has not simply faded, but has been replaced by statements and gestures of de-escalation and cordiality. Indicatively, he notes that only last week he had a short meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister in Brussels, on the sidelines of the NATO Ministerial Summit, while the Ministers of National Defence, Immigration and Asylum etc. Panagiotopoulos and Mitarakis, visited the earthquake affected regions of Turkey.

Regarding the duration of the good climate, the foreign minister states that he is not in a position to know, but expresses the hope that it will be maintained. However, it is too early to conclude whether this atmosphere will acquire permanent characteristics or whether, even more, it will lead to solutions.

Specifically, it stands in the qualitative characteristics of this period. “Will Turkey be ready to engage in honest and constructive dialogue, based on International Law and the International Law of the Sea?” This presupposes political decision and choice of top. It is of particular importance that this different attitude of Turkey constitutes a central and permanent political decision”, he recommends.

Furthermore, he highlights the “huge symbolism” of Turkey’s choice to support Greece for the UN Security Council. The United Nations Security Council is the guardian of the United Nations Charter and International Law including UNCLOS, he explains.

In this context, he emphasizes once again that “as a country that seeks dialogue and the achievement of peaceful solutions based on International Law, we must take advantage of every window of opportunity in this direction”.

Regarding the Greek support of the Turkish candidacy for the position of secretary general in the International Maritime Organization (IMO), “a specialized organization of the United Nations, with the main mission, among others, the safety and protection of international shipping and the prevention of pollution ships”, notes that it concerns an office in an organization in which Greece plays a leading role by participating in Category A’, of its Council. Answering the question whether there was a “problem” with Cyprus regarding this issue, he assesses that this development reflects the current improvement in the climate in Greek-Turkish relations and can only be assessed as positive, both for peace and security in the wider region and for the efforts to restart the negotiations with the aim of a fair and sustainable solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council and compatible with the European acquis” he adds.

At the same time, he characterizes the relations between Athens and Nicosia as excellent and notes that this was also confirmed during his recent meeting with the Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kobo, in Nicosia. “There, I informed the President of the Republic of Cyprus and my friend, Nikos Christodoulidis, as well as my Cypriot counterpart, about the decision of the Greek government to support the candidacy of the Republic of Cyprus for re-election in category C of the IMO Council, during the period 2024 – 2025. This decision was taken – among other things – due to the exceptional level of maritime cooperation between Greece and Cyprus, both bilaterally and within the European framework. In the same visit, the further strengthening of our already close cooperation was also confirmed, having as a common national goal the resolution of the Cyprus issue. And this, because for the Mitsotakis government, but also for every Greek government, the Cyprus issue is a top national priority” he emphasizes.

He makes special reference to the tripartite cooperation of Greece, Cyprus and Israel. He points out that in the recent tripartite meeting with his counterparts from Israel and Cyprus, held in Nicosia, the energy sector was one of the main topics on the agenda. In particular, the issue of the EastMed natural gas pipeline and the strategic importance of the EuroAsia Interconnector between Greece, Cyprus and Israel were discussed.

“These plans take on added practical and geostrategic value for the Eastern Mediterranean and the European Union in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the need for energy de-dependence and increased interconnection,” he observes. They also discussed the Eastern Mediterranean Natural Gas Forum, which serves as a framework for cooperation and stability for countries in the region. The Minister of Foreign Affairs declares that Greece is positive about the prospect of the participation of other countries, such as Turkey, in the Eastern Mediterranean Natural Gas Forum, under the basic condition of their respect for International Law and the International Law of the Sea.

In Athens on Tuesday the Foreign Minister of Egypt – On Friday an international meeting in Athens on Syria

Subsequently, it attributes importance to the role played by Greek foreign policy in the wider region. As he underlines, he plays an active role, noting that he participates in efforts to find solutions to issues that concern the international community. In fact, he announces that on Friday, April 21, a meeting on Syria will be organized, for the first time in Greece, with the participation of the special envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Syria, Mr. Petersen, (who will then go to in Damascus) and all the EU member states’ envoys for Syria.

Earlier, on Tuesday, April 11, a visit to Athens by Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Soukry is expected. “We will have the opportunity to discuss regional and international issues” Nikos Dendias informs and underlines that Greece’s strategic relations with Egypt are constantly being strengthened, citing his “very frequent meetings” with his Egyptian counterpart.

In light of the active diplomacy in the wider region, the Foreign Minister emphasizes the wider cooperation in the energy sector, recalling that it was also discussed at the tripartite meeting of the ministers of Greece, Cyprus and Israel, as well as in his meeting with his counterpart from the UAE. In particular, in the meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Nikos Dendias discussed more broadly the development of initiatives in the region, in the neighborhood, the strengthening and upgrading of relations in several sectors, especially in energy and RES, in the economy but also in the issues of security.

Asked if he is for or against the fence on the Evros in relation to his earlier statements, Nikos Dendias notes that he made it clear, from the first moment, that his statements were made in 2018, two whole years before Greece faced the hybrid threat in Evros. In addition, he emphasizes that our country was forced to adapt to new conditions, at all levels, and criticizes SYRIZA. “However, SYRIZA, with the “gentle care” of which the specific passage was trafficked, cannot, with Idomenis and Moria-type phenomena, under its own government, boast about its actions in the immigration field. Therefore, in addition to the tactic of circulating statements of government officials outside of the time frame, a minimal element of self-criticism is also required from the official opposition,” he says.

Responding to a question about spikes for popular ministers who did not sufficiently “back” the government after the accident in Tempe with public positions, he emphasizes that he constantly supports the government with the work he tries to carry out from a position to which he was appointed by prime minister and specifies that the role of the foreign minister is specific. “And it is certainly not his role to become part of the toxicity, which, under the responsibility of SYRIZA, is now pervasive in the political life of the country,” he adds.

Finally, regarding the elections, he said that the effort should be focused on the result of the elections on May 21 and that “we must prove in the pre-election period that the important reforms that have already been made will continue”.