The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giorgos Gerapetritis, gave an interview to the journalists Eleni Stergiou and Alexandra Fotaki, in the context of the “OT Forum 2024”.

JOURNALIST: You will participate in the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Summit, with Ukraine as the main topic. Can you give us a little bit of the vibe there? What is being done about this particular issue?

C. GERAPETRITIS: Indeed, we are at Brussels for the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Summitat an extremely critical moment for international geopolitical developments. With a large and significant development in the issues of Ukraine and the Middle East, a very vulnerable environment. And of course in an era where an effort is being made to strengthen the international security architecture, which has been extremely shaken recently, due to the two major wars, but also major regional and international challenges. Ukraine will be the main subject of discussion. Euro-Atlantic relations remain strong. They remain at the level of observing international law against any revisionism and in favor of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

JOURNALIST: After the arrival of Trump, do you think that there can be pressure on the Europeans in terms of defense and to what extent there can be room for a Greek initiative?

C. GERAPETRITIS: Unfortunately we don’t have a good sound. I understand that the question was about the initiatives that Greece could undertake at the international level and what is the position of Greece at the moment on the international stage. As you know, Mrs. Fotaki, in approximately 27-28 days Greece will assume the position of a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. A position, which is extremely critical given the global geopolitical developments. Greece is becoming a co-producer of the international security architecture. He will be at the center of developments. As you know, Greece has set as a major goal of its own presence in the Security Council the restoration of the Charter of the United Nations Organization in terms of the peaceful resolution of disputes, the protection of vulnerable categories of citizens, especially women and children in conditions war, the safety of ships, as well as other initiatives that we will develop.

It is important, I think, that Greece, at this moment, is at the absolute center of international developments, at the core of the European Union, within NATO, in the Security Council of the United Nations Organization and in all probability with a very strong presence in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. We will have the conference on Thursday in Malta, where Greece aspires to take on a strong role as well.

Greece currently has the privilege in difficult times to talk to everyone, to be the real bridge between North, South, East and West, to maintain a principled stance, which is appreciated by everyone. And that’s why our international footprint, our international capital, is extremely large. We will make sure to develop it, both to have a multiplier effect for our country, for peace and prosperity at home, but also to be beneficial to the global security architecture.

JOURNALIST: Because you mentioned the OSCE and you may also have a meeting with Mr. Fidan, if I’m not mistaken, on the sidelines of these two Summits. How optimistic are you that we will have a result in principle in the OSCE on the nominations? And secondly, if the meeting will take place and how are we going after the latest developments and the statement that we cannot discuss, at least yet, the EEZ and the continental shelf?

C. GERAPETRITIS: We will meet with the Turkish Foreign Minister, both here in Brussels, in the framework of the Conference of Foreign Ministers of NATO, and in Malta, also, at the Conference of Foreign Ministers of the OSCE. We will have an opportunity to discuss further. These are issues, which are currently at the cutting edge, in Greek-Turkish, especially the organization of the imminent Supreme Cooperation Council in Ankara. And for this reason we will organize our further steps. As you know, yesterday and today the new rounds of both the Political Dialogue and the Positive Agenda are being held in Athens. I think it is extremely important to maintain a movement in Greek-Turkish relations, to have these contacts, which define, if you like, a framework for proper bilateral relations. As you said, no common ground has really been found so far to discuss the major issue. The only issue, which could be brought before international jurisdiction, which is the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf.

Nevertheless, I think we have mastered being able to discuss, even disagreeing. Greece currently has a very strong capital, as I told you. It has an economy, which is growing significantly, it has strong armed forces and it has a very strong diplomatic international footprint. It is the moment, in which it is not heterodetermined. He has no phobic syndromes. It moves forward and can even negotiate in terms of power with all its neighbors. And of course, I want to say that there are issues in the relations between Greece and Turkey. It goes without saying that we would not expect within a period of just 16 months to resolve issues which date back decades and which have plagued the relations between the two countries.

On the other hand, we, without going blind, and always with prudence, try to cultivate these peace relations and move forward. Even if we cannot agree on everything, it is important to be able to discuss, so that tensions are prevented, crises are prevented. And I think nobody can undo the important steps that have been taken in the last 16 months. Peace in the Aegean, without violations of Greek airspace, coordination in immigration, at a time when mobility due to wars and crises is on the rise, the development of relations between the two peoples, with entry visas given for our islands, diplomatic, international collaborations. We hope that together with Turkey we will take over the two most critical positions of the OSCE on Thursday. I think all this is important, because in foreign policy the crucial thing is to have security, trust, self-confidence in the country. And that is why we work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

JOURNALIST: Since you said the word tension, I want to pick up on that and ask you. Some consider that Greece’s electrical interconnections, both with Cyprus and in the Dodecanese, in the Northern Aegean, constitute a “crash test” of relations with Turkey. In principle, do you share this view? And secondly, will the design proceed? Will what has been announced come to pass?

C. GERAPETRITIS: I would like to make a reference to Cyprus. And this because I believe that it was and is the most important issue of the Greek national foreign policy and rightly so. Already, we are in a period of significant mobility for the Cyprus issue. And I want to refer to the fact that the improvement of Greek-Turkish relations has played a decisive role in being able to restart the discussions on the Cyprus issue, under the auspices of the United Nations Organization. I think it is absolutely crucial that the walls come down in Cyprus, that the possibility be given, so that, within the framework of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions on the Bizonal Bi-Communal Federation, we can move towards a new united European Cyprus, which will ensure not only for today, but also for tomorrow. I think the great moment of Cyprus joining the European family should continue.

In particular, I would like to emphasize the fact that, thanks to the solidarity of Greece and Cyprus, we have succeeded in making the Cypriot issue a major priority in the European Union. With the Conclusions of the European Council of June 2023 there was the interconnection of the development of Euro-Turkish relations with the Cyprus issue, while also in the conclusions of April 2024 there was a clear reference to the fact that the European Union will monitor and actively participate in the procedures for the resolution of the Cyprus issue.

The view adopted by the government and its collective bodies, the KYSEA and the Council of Ministers, is that the era of inaction and inaction has not been beneficial. We should have an active and multilateral foreign policy. I think it is time for Greece to have a truly active foreign policy. I think our strong position also dictates this. Always, when you approach a negotiation, you should approach it from a position of strength. And Greece is today in an extremely strong field, with strong allies, with a strong international footprint and I think with a mobility, which will create conditions for development and prosperity not only for today, but also for tomorrow.

JOURNALIST: You got ahead of me because that would be the next question. My question was about the Greece-Cyprus cable and whether this constituted a “crash test” for Greek-Turkish relations with the tension that appeared to exist in Kasos. And if we continue the plans. If the Greek government intends to proceed with the plans for the electrical interconnections that have been announced.

C. GERAPETRITIS: Let me start, if you allow me, my answer by saying how important it is that in recent years Greece has developed a self-sufficient energy policy and an interconnectivity policy, which is extremely critical. It is actually a form of clever deterrence, a form of diplomacy, which has a multiplier effect.

I want to remind you of the large energy infrastructures that the country is creating, the IGB pipeline with Bulgaria, the EastMed pipeline in the Eastern Mediterranean. Of course, the station for the storage and regasification of liquefied natural gas, the FSRU in Alexandroupoli, the electrical interconnection of Greece-Egypt. And of course the great participation, which Greece aspires to have, the biggest interconnection project, which is the IMEC connection, that is the economic interconnection of India, the Middle East and Europe. In the context of all this, Greece jointly ensured with Cyprus the inclusion of the electrical interconnection Greece-Cyprus-Israel, as a project of mutual interest of the European Union. A very important achievement, because in this way the demand for the lifting of Cyprus’s energy isolation, but also of Europe’s single energy space, is upgraded, at the European level.

The program will absolutely continue as planned. I understand that there are certainly tensions because of this. However, these tensions have not led to a crisis. And in the case, in which there was allegedly a retreat on the part of Greece, there was no such case. What happened is that without any concession at all regarding the sovereignty and sovereign rights of the country, the research program, in relation to the interconnection program, continued as normal. And it will continue based on its programming. It is obvious that if we want to be able to discuss with Turkey, in forward-looking terms, in prospective terms, the possible discussion on the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf, we should first and above all ensure that there will be calm, there will be avoidance tensions, so that any discussion is beneficial.

JOURNALIST: Yes. So we wish this for peace of mind. Minister, thank you very much. Despite the communication difficulties, you are in Brussels. Good luck in the project and diplomacy.

C. GERAPETRITIS: Thank you for the honor. Be well.