“We are indeed at an important crossroads in Greek-Turkish and of course it is good to remember that periods of calm were not always a given. In the recent past we have had great tensions with Turkey,” said the foreign minister George Gerapetritis in an interview he gave to ERT radio.

As he explained, we are at that point, “where we have been instructed by the two foreign ministers to explore whether there can be a common framework to move the discussion to another stage, to a stage which will concern the delimitation of the continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone”.

“We’re not there yet. We are still in the discussion, which concerns what the scope of the discussion will be, with what principles this discussion will take place. So in fact, in a preliminary stage”, he pointed out.

At the moment, as he emphasized, “a regime has been established, which is relatively good understanding, a relative mutual trust has developed, so that we can prevent further tensions and crises”.

“We have the opportunity, if there is a coincidence in terms of fundamentals, to move forward on the issue of demarcation. If such a common understanding emerges, which I cannot prejudge even before the discussion begins, then the discussion will take place at the level of Foreign Ministers and the level of political dialogue.”

Referring to the exploratory contacts, he said that they have a track of about 20 years, where “there was a discussion, which had not yielded anything”.

“We had 64 rounds of exploratory contacts, which unfortunately did not yield the expected results. I probably think they put us further back than our original position. At this moment what is required is a strong political will. And then, as long as there is that strong political will, which will be reflected in a common position on how we move forward, then look at the technical and legal issues of demarcation.”

When asked about this, he said that the issue of demarcation of the scrotum concerns only Greek sovereignty, so it is only a matter for our country.

“When it will be exercised, you will allow me to keep it on an internal level. It is particularly critical. What I can tell you, with certainty, is that Greece has the right, which is absolutely given to it by international law, to expand whenever the country itself decides, in the manner provided by international law and will act”.

He underlined that there is knowledge of international law, prudence in the way we deal with things and strong diplomatic capital.

“Greece is never going to give up its sovereignty, its right to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles. This is something we reserve as a right. It has not been exercised during the entire period of the post-colonial period, obviously, but this does not, not even in the sense of thinking, remove the right, which derives independently from international law. So, the discussion that we will stay at 6 nautical miles is obviously futile.”

As he pointed out, we are in an extremely complex and fluid, international geopolitical environment.

It is, as he characteristically stated, “the most difficult geopolitical environment that the post-war world has known, with two very large wars in our wider region, which have a huge reflective imprint in our own neighborhood.”

And there are, he noted, conditions of very high dynamic intensity, such as the migratory currents, “which are and will be even more on the rise”.

“It is very important for Greece to continuously develop its own strong diplomatic position, its own diplomatic footprint. And we have done it, as much as possible.”

“Today Greece is stronger than ever internationally”, he underlined. “We have absolutely no phobic syndrome and precisely because we have this strong self-confidence, I think we are able to talk about difficult things.”

As he pointed out, to the extent that there is the underlying difference of the non-demarcation of the continental shelf and the EEZ, there is a potential danger constantly in Greek-Turkish.

“This risk would disappear or in any case be substantially mitigated, minimized, if we could make this demarcation. This demarcation, in my opinion, is a condition of long-term peace and prosperity for our region. Of course, I want to be clear. There is not going to be such an outcome, if not only if the national interests are absolutely guaranteed and if there is consent on the part of the political world and society”.

The purpose, as he mentioned, in the long term is to have demarcation everywhere and this is what international law itself requires.

This, he noted, “does not necessarily mean that if there is a coincidence we will proceed with demarcation everywhere. It is something that is very early.”

“We’re a long way from there,” he said. “We are still at the stage of seeing what we are going to discuss. And what we are going to discuss is very clear for the Greek side. I have stated it repeatedly before the Parliament, that it is our one and only dispute that can be brought before the international jurisdiction, the delimitation of the EEZ and the continental shelf. So, as long as there is an understanding of the scope of the discussion and the principles on which this discussion will take place, then and only then will we move on to the technical issues.”

“Debt to exhaust every possibility that exists, fully securing our national interests”

The referral to The Hague, he added, is the final stage, which could potentially exist, if there is a co-promisor, that is, if the two countries reach an agreement regarding the scope of the dispute, which is brought before the International Court of Justice.

He noted that at the moment “there is a positive and favorable situation, which is reaching the point where we can resolve differences, so as not to create other pillars of instability. And on the other hand, Greece is stronger than ever. And when you’re strong, then you talk in terms that are much stronger.”

As he noted, referring to his upcoming meeting with his Turkish counterpart, he himself is a fan of deliberative democracy.

“We must discuss because the value of our own culture is precisely that we can find solutions to our problems through discussion. If the opposite side is willing to find a solution to our big problem through consultation, I think there is scope.”

“This is a debt that we owe to society today, but also to generations to come, to exhaust every possibility that exists, so that we can fully ensure our national interests, peace, security, long-term prosperity ».

Finally, when asked about the Cyprus issue, he stated the Greek government’s satisfaction with the fact that direct discussions on the Cyprus issue have been restarted. It is particularly important, as he mentioned, that the UN Secretary General himself has taken it on as a personal project and we have managed to once again bring the Cyprus issue to the fore.

“For a long time, the Turkish Cypriot leadership has raised the issue of sovereign equality, practically speaking of the existence of two states. This issue is outside the framework of international law. The decisions of the UN Security Council are very clear and speak of a Bizonal Bicommunal Federation” he pointed out and emphasized:

“Not even the secretary-general, who is precisely the spokesman and representative of the UN, could stay away from it. Our position is very clear and transparent and always in agreement with the Republic of Cyprus. There should be a solution within the framework of the UN. It is useful for communities to discuss. No problem has found its solution if there has not been a productive discussion.”