The readiness of Greece to reach a solution to the Greek-Turkish dispute on the basis of international law is underlined by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias, in an interview with the newspaper “NEA Savvatokyriako”, stressing, however, that this depends on the will of Turkey.

“Without having any illusions about the permanent Turkish positions, we believe that, at the present stage, the generally improved climate in our bilateral relations could be used to build an open channel of communication between the two countries,” Mr. Dendias.

“And in the far future, it could potentially lead to the launch of a serious and honest dialogue with the aim of an agreement to resolve our only dispute, based on International Law and the International Law of the Sea,” he adds.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs cites the Agreements with Egypt and Italy as an example, “because in these cases we were able to secure a happy outcome in protracted negotiations, through intensive and constructive dialogue, achieving solutions based on International Law and the International Law of the Sea” .

“This is, after all, the permanent position of our country: the resolution of the issues concerning the delimitation of the continental shelf and EEZ on the basis of International Law and the International Law of the Sea”, he points out and adds:

“Obviously, we want the same to happen in the case of our one and only dispute with Turkey. Now, whether this will happen depends primarily on the readiness of the other side. We, for our part, must make use of every possibility and every window of opportunity in this direction. Wisely, with self-confidence, with seriousness and without cultivating excessive expectations.”

Referring to his tenure at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dendias notes that during the four years, the developments have justified, to a large extent, the main choices in the exercise of foreign policy.

“Our main concern was the expansion and deepening of the scope of Greek foreign policy, as well as the expansion and utilization of our country’s alliances, with the aim of effectively dealing with every challenge”.

Specifically for Turkey, he points out “that my decisions and actions have always been dictated by the firm belief that we must work systematically to create the conditions that will make possible a meaningful and effective dialogue to resolve our dispute regarding the delimitation of the continental shelf and EEZ, always based on International Law and the International Law of the Sea”.

Asked about the Far Right in Greece and whether it is limited to the “Kassidiari party”, Mr. Dendias emphasizes: “The Far Right in Greece is clearly not limited to the Kasidiari party. However, there is no question of a general criminalization of ideas, however repulsive they may be.”

But, as he states, “in the case of neo-Nazi formations there are specific criminal actions that were carried out under the guise of the party and a threat is presumed – again with specific actions – against the democratic state”.

“I want to believe that the political system is not afraid to face existential issues for our Republic itself. It is true, however, that he did not show the required consensus on this issue”, he emphasizes and adds:

“I still want to believe that the ‘orphan votes’, as you call them, were mainly a polling phenomenon of expressing ‘inexpensive’ protest rather than a real voting intention, just as one would not think of ‘playing games’ with indirect support from neo-Nazi formations , after the decision of the competent Department of the Supreme Court”.

Regarding the elections, he states that self-reliance is the goal of New Democracy and points out that its proposal is “an enhanced proportional electoral system, with a specific party in government, the ND, and with the party’s president, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as prime minister”.

“Even if self-reliance cannot be achieved in the first ballot, we hope that the ND percentage will be the basis for achieving it in the second.”

“The question of toxicity is indeed a big chapter, but I have to admit that despite the concern that existed and without missing a few, fortunately, exceptions, the limits have not been exceeded so far, except for the expected in a pre-election period of tension,” he notes.

Finally, when asked about the economy, he points out that it is a field that enables the next ND government to develop a strategic plan, with the goal of a large increase in GDP.

“Greece must turn the page for good in relation to the MOU period and create a truly friendly climate for investments, in areas such as innovation and “green development”, he says.

“At the same time, however, we should emphasize that ‘no one is left behind’, preserving social cohesion and taking into account that exogenous phenomena, such as the accuracy you refer to, and the rising period in interest rates, which we are going through, have greater consequences for the weaker strata. The government has already taken steps in this direction, but we need to always be as empathetic as possible to the problems of the citizens, as befits a great popular party,” he concludes.