“We are not naive, nor do we believe that from one moment to the next, because we started talking with Turkey, the issues that go back decades and constitute its basic positions will be resolved. What we have said is to be able to talk so that, having the defensive power, we do not have to use weapons. Because we seek peace and prosperity on the basis of international law and that is what we will do».

This is what the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giorgos Gerapetritis, said in the Parliament, answering a topical question from the MP of the “Spartans”, Alexandros Zerveas, who accused the government of a “foreign policy of concessions against the illegal Turkish claims that question the national sovereign rights of Greece, such as took place off Kasos, during the Italian vessel’s survey for future cable laying”.

Commenting on the reports of Mr. Gerveas that the Turkish claims against Greece and the “blue homeland” theory will also be taught through the textbooks in Turkey without Greece reacting, Mr. Gerapetritis characteristically stated:

“The narrative and ideology of the “blue homeland”, as well as the ideology of demilitarization of the islands, go back decades. And the “blue homeland” started as a theory in the 1990s. We inherit it today. You mention that children in Turkey will be taught the blue motherland. Badly, badly. Anything about maximalist positions cannot poison younger generations. But let me say the following. Even in the Turkish books you refer to, there is absolutely no mention of Greece in relation to the blue homeland, no mention of the Aegean, none of the Eastern Mediterranean, and the blue homeland is placed within mainland Turkey. In the same textbooks, the term Aegean Sea is mentioned. A Greek sea and not a sea of ​​equals as is the usual position of Turkey».

Furthermore, Mr. Gerapetritis categorically denied his alleged statement about the retreat of the Greek side in case of war, as claimed by Mr. Zerveas.

“This statement of yours, made after the episode in Casso, was unfortunate, because what message does it send to the other side? That the Greeks are not determined to defend their sovereign rights and that when the time comes for the guns to speak, the Greeks will back down,” said Mr. Zerveas, provoking a strong reaction from the foreign minister.

“I do not understand what you are alleging about a statement I am alleged to have made. I was very clear. The fact that there are channels of communication with Turkey is in principle beneficial, so that tensions do not turn into crises. This happened now too. There was indeed a tension which was decompressed, the investigation was absolutely completed at 100%, I say this for the umpteenth time, and it is my reason against the speculations made by others, but it is also the reality and I refer to the statements of the company itself. So absolutely no retreat. On the contrary, there was a complete confirmation of the Greek position. And I don’t understand your reference to guns. Would you like us to take up arms and go forth to fight? I honestly don’t understand what your report is about.”

At this point, Mr. Gerapetritis emphasized the current foreign policy pursued by the ND government, speaking of a strong diplomatic policy that has no precedent.

“I will tell you the following: The strong Greek position in the world, the strong diplomatic capital that we have today, and I think no one disputes this, has no precedent. “Greece was almost unanimously elected a member of the UN Security Council and will co-determine global diplomacy for the next two years in the most difficult post-war period,” said Mr. Gerapetritis and added:

“Greece is today taking care of strengthening its defense as it had never done after the war. The strengthening of the Greek air force and the Greek navy, the strengthening of infrastructure and personnel is unprecedented. And this contributes to having a strong diplomacy.

The current Greek government is the one that raised Greece. It extended the Greek territorial waters to the Ionian and up to Cape Tenaro, it actually extended its zone of influence with the agreements with Italy and with Egypt, and so it is currently in a much better position than any position it has been in post-colonialism.” .

Mr. Gerapetritis reiterated with intensity that “the investigation by the investigative ship was conducted within Greek territorial waters and within the EEZ, no crisis was created between Greece and Turkey thanks to the channels that exist between the two countries, it was not recognized either directly or indirectly neither de jure nor de facto, any sovereign right of Turkey, absolutely no permission was given nor was it ever requested from the Greek side and the investigation was completed absolutely 100% and according to the company’s planning”.

“It is a great honor and responsibility to lead Greek diplomacy. I feel that I am accountable both to the Parliament and to the next generations to whom I seek to inherit a neighborhood of peace and not a neighborhood with the finger on the trigger”, concluded Mr. Gerapetritis.