“Issues of sovereignty cannot be put on the dialogue table”, emphasizes Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giorgos Gerapetritistalking about Greek-Turkish, in an interview with Vradini tis Kyriaki and the journalist Kostas Melissopoulos.

Ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to Ankara tomorrow and when asked about the expectations that exist from the meeting between Mr. Mitsotakis and the President of Turkey, Mr. Gerapetritis notes that “we should enter into a logic of normalizing the relationship between Greece and Turkey, so that we can talk without this needs to be considered a large-scale news”. He points out that “recently we have established good communication channels in such a way that disagreements, which obviously exist, do not produce crises”.

Asked, in this context, if we are at the beginning of some approach for the issues of the Aegean, the foreign minister says that in the last year we have managed to have relative peace in our region, but we have not yet reached the point of discussing the only dispute that could be brought before international jurisdiction. “It is important that we have basically no violations of our airspace, just as it is important that there is coordination to limit and almost eliminate illegal immigration flows. On the other hand, we are working on the positive agenda with mutually beneficial measures to be able to have positive results in many policy fields. We have not yet reached the point of discussing our only dispute, which can be brought before international jurisdiction, that is, the delimitation of the continental shelf and the EEZ”, says the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Asked to comment on the co-promissory note between the two countries and if there can be even a minimum agreement given that Turkey insists on maximalist demands, such as the ownership of islands, limited Greek sovereignty, etc., Mr. Gerapetritis underlines that “the sovereignty is an inalienable, inalienable right of the country and all the important issues related to the existence of the state originate from it. Therefore, we are not going to discuss them.”

He points out that “our desire would be to be able to resolve the issue of the delimitation of the continental shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone and, if this is not possible, for this issue to bring ourselves before international jurisdiction when the appropriate conditions exist” and adds: “under in this sense it is important to define very specifically the issue which could reach The Hague. No other matter can be the content of such a co-promissory note.”

Regarding the conversion of the Monastery of Chora into a mosque, Mr. Gerapetritis emphasizes that “it is disappointing in the phase we are in, in a phase where we are trying to build trust and mutual understanding, to have such events” and underlines that beyond the highest symbolism for Greece, the Monastery of Chora is a Byzantine monument of incomparable value and the alteration of its universal character “constitutes an error which should not have happened”.

“I am here to serve only the interest of the country”

Asked to explain what he meant by his statement in Delphi that he wants to be beneficial for the country and not popular, Mr. Gerapetritis points out: “My desire to be beneficial has to do precisely with the fact that in some cases I make decisions which some may not like them. Nevertheless, with the confidence of the Prime Minister, I will continue to do what my conscience tells me is the right thing, even when these decisions do not make me particularly popular. Always having as my principle that I am not here today to serve any other interest than the interest of the country of the present and future generations”.

“I will continue to serve my country with integrity and with vigor. I will not practice a transactional policy, but a policy of values”, he underlines.

The Cyprus issue is a top priority – The time is right to restart the discussions

On the occasion of the contacts of the personal envoy of the g.c. of the UN Maria Angela Holguin Queillar in Cyprus and Turkey, Mr. Gerapetritis notes that the Cyprus issue is a major priority of Greek foreign policy stressing that he has invested significantly “in being able to promote the Cyprus issue”, with regular communication with the Organization of the United Nations – both with the Secretary General and with his personal envoy, the Cypriot President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“Of course we are also discussing the issue of the Cyprus issue in the framework of Greek-Turkish relations”, the minister points out, considering that “the moment is right to restart the discussions, which concern the resolution of the Cyprus issue, in the exact context of the Security Council resolutions of the United Nations Organization for Bizonal, Bicommunal Federation”.

In fact, he emphasizes that he will continue his efforts so that there are beneficial results.

“We will continue the effort towards peace in the Middle East”

Regarding the crisis in the Middle East, the foreign minister says that “over time the reality has exceeded even the most negative expectations”, he speaks of a very large number of dead civilians and points out that it is “clear that there has been a disproportionate intervention in Gaza”.

Emphasizing the contribution of the Greek side to finding a sustainable and fair solution, he notes that “what we are promoting at the moment, in cooperation with both the European Union and the Arab states, is a draft agreement that will be able to work like this so as to cease hostilities, allow unhindered large-scale humanitarian aid and of course start discussions on the future of the region, which can only be that which is determined by the United Nations Security Council resolutions for the two states , that is, the establishment of the Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and on the borders before 1967”.

We will continue our efforts towards peace, says Mr. Gerapetritis, underlining that “Greece is firmly oriented towards a peaceful Middle East and a peaceful wider region, because, unfortunately, the diffuse consequences that have occurred throughout the wider region in Lebanon, in Syria, in the Red Sea, they are extremely dangerous and can cause a huge humanitarian disaster.”

“The Greek government is monitoring the implementation of the Prespa Agreement”

Asked about the survival prospects of the Prespa Agreement, after the elections in North Macedonia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs reiterates that the country’s path towards the EU also goes through the faithful observance of the said Agreement, underlining that “the Greek government is monitoring strictness in its application and will make the necessary interventions”.

“Regardless of the issues that the Prespa Agreement had from the beginning and which the New Democracy had timely emphasized as the opposition at the time, this Agreement is an international treaty, which is superior to any domestic law and should be respected by the parties , and no revision thereof is permitted without the agreement of the parties. In this sense, we consider it necessary for the Agreement to continue to be implemented, and I believe that this will also be the attitude of the new political leadership of North Macedonia, which will emerge after the elections”, he says characteristically.

“The conditions for Kosovo’s accession to the Council of Europe have not been met”

Regarding the possibility of Kosovo’s admission to the Council of Europe, Mr. Gerapetritis explains that Greece will abstain when the issue is raised in the Council of Ministers because “the conditions set for Kosovo’s admission to the Council of Europe have not yet been met, especially and the issue of the establishment of the Union of Serbian Municipalities”.

He reminds that Greece provides its good services so that there is a peaceful settlement of the disputes between Belgrade and Pristina and emphasizes that the agreements between the two parties in Ahrida should be fully implemented, considering that the resolution of these disputes ” will significantly contribute not only to their European course, but also to the general peace and prosperity in the Balkans, a region which historically is extremely vulnerable, but of high interest for Greek foreign policy”.