The Greek position is the application of International Law and the application of International Law of the Sea, with the solutions it offers. This was emphasized, among others, by the Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias, who participated today, Wednesday, April 17, in the 1st Maritime Security Conference on “The dimensions of maritime security, and their role in freedom of navigation”.

“We consider that such a position on the one hand resolves most international disputes and disputes, it would resolve even if Turkey agreed to co-sign UNCLOS, for example, 95% of our dispute with Turkey for one” he added.

“Right now we are facing an ominous environment, with a war in our northeast, a second war in our southeast, a third conflict in our east and I am referring to the South Caucasus, Azerbaijan-Armenia” explained Mr. Dendias.

“If we now look at the sea area around us, the Black Sea is actually closed and mined, there is only a small coastal channel next to Romania and Bulgaria, to serve as much as possible Ukrainian exports, especially wheat exports, something that is of great interest to the global economy, is not only a Russian-Ukrainian issue,” he pointed out.

“In the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean there is a Turkish revisionism, which does not accept UNCLOS as a rule for resolving the dispute with Greece, but in general as a rule for resolving international disputes. He believes that a sui generis law can be created in the wider region, which would serve its interests” he added.

“In the Red Sea, there is a challenge to freedom of navigation by a quasi-non-state force, the Houthis, who think they can export any opinion on any difference on the planet as a problem, blocking freedom of trade and thus hindering significantly the global economy,” he said.

As Greece, he said, we tried “to solve problems and we solved some” and added: “With the agreement on the Exclusive Economic Zone with Italy, we gave an example of how two countries can solve a dispute that includes the issue of fishing rights.

The issue of the red shrimp fishery, which kept the two countries at a standstill for half a century. With Egypt, after thirty-five years of negotiation, where the issue of influence or non-influence was resolved in the most just way, between two countries that also gained a very dynamic relationship through this resolution, a relationship that currently leads to the possibility to have a strategic alliance with the most important country in North Africa and a very, very important country for the Arab world.”

Regarding the “Shields” operation, he underlined that it is “the biggest operation the European Union has ever done, not at sea, anywhere”.

“The biggest military operation that the European Union has done in its history, in its 70 years of history,” he added.

The company has a large number of participating countries, “it has five frigates at sea, five different countries and a general support ship with a Dutch surgery and we aspire to grow even more” he explained.

Regarding the Navy, he pointed out that “we have a very proud naval tradition. But the Navy is created from the backlog of the Greek taxpayer and operates thanks to the professionalism, sometimes I must say also the self-sacrifice, not only the effort, of its executives”.

Regarding the three French FDI frigates, he added that the “Kimonas” next year “will sail in the Aegean” while he mentioned that “we are already participating in discussions about the American Constellation frigates, the frigates of the next generation with the logic that they will be built, combined designed with the United States’.

“We are discussing”, he continued, “with the United Kingdom to grant us minesweepers” while as he said “we have acquired modern helicopters, the Romeos. The first was received a few days ago by the Prime Minister at the Marathon heliport”.

“We are creating a modern, high-potential Navy that can serve the Greek perception and Greek interests,” he concluded.

The conference was attended by the head of the GETHA, general Dimitrios Houpis, and the head of the General Directorate, vice-admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras PN.

The conference was organized by the Institute of Foreign Affairs (fainst.eu) and The Council for International Relations – Greece (cfir.gr), with the cooperation of the Department of Maritime Studies of the University of Piraeus.