“Respect for international law and the denunciation of all forms of revisionism are becoming more urgent than ever in order to resolve disputes peacefully and reduce tensions in the wider region,” Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said in an interview with CNN Greece. Mapping the new field that has been formed after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Nikos Dendias notes that he has created a completely different geopolitical environment with increasing risks and challenges at the international level and expresses the will of Greece to contribute constructively to tackling and challenging young people. consolidate its position as a factor of stability and cooperation, having as its spearhead in its foreign policy respect for International Law.
“We promote these principles in all our contacts with Turkish officials. “On the other hand, we do not harbor illusions,” he said when asked about Turkish policy towards Greece after Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul. “We know that Turkish policy remains a challenge, not only for Greece, but also for the European Union,” he said. which is not in line with a country that looks forward to its European future “, as he points out.
In this context, he maintains that it is entirely up to the Turkish side, the generally positive atmosphere of the meeting between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Erdogan to be followed up and confirmed in practice by subsequent developments.
Answering a question regarding the Turkish rhetoric for cooperation in the exploitation of the natural wealth of the Aegean, Nikos Dendias emphasizes that the position of our country is clear and given: “we have a specific difference with Turkey, the delimitation of the continental shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, a dispute which must be settled on the basis of international law and in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). “If no bilateral agreement is reached in this context, we propose that the matter be referred to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.” At this point, he emphasizes once again that Greek foreign policy is a policy of principles, which derive from respect for international law. “We will continue to uphold and apply these principles. “In this sense, any proposal for ‘joint exploitation’ is unrealistic,” he said.
The main goals of Greek foreign policy remain stable and absolute: respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states
Asked to clarify his report after the meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Sukri in Cairo, that the crisis in Ukraine “leads to the need to review tactics and look at various issues from the beginning”, Nikos Dendias states that the Russian invasion puts everyone in the face of new and unprecedented situations and when things calm down we will have to face multiple challenges. “And I am not talking only about the geopolitical sphere but also other challenges, such as energy and food security, the impact on the economy and ensuring the living standards of citizens” clarifies and makes it clear that “the main goals of Greek foreign policy remain stable and absolute: respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states. Capturing the new environment in more detail, he notes that “the new, still fluid, situation brings to the fore the need for a broader reassessment of priorities by all international actors” and states that “our goal is to intensify efforts to lay the foundations to set up a regional system that will ensure future stability, security and prosperity “.
A matter of honor for the Greek state to support the Greek community in Mariupol
Regarding the mission of humanitarian aid to Mariupol, Nikos Dendias proposes that the protection of the civilian population in Ukraine is a top priority for Greece and explains: “And it is normal for our efforts to focus on Mariupol, for two reasons. Firstly, it is the area most affected by the war and the provision of humanitarian aid there is urgent. Secondly, a large Greek community lives in this area and it is a matter of honor for the Greek state to support it in every possible way. That is why I have announced my intention to personally accompany the humanitarian aid mission to this martyred city, in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross, when conditions on the ground allow its safe transfer. ” It is recalled that Nikos Dendias raised the issue of the need to support Mariupol in the last EU Foreign Affairs Council and as he states, he continues to raise it in contacts with his counterparts.
Regarding the initiative of French President Emanuel Macron to send humanitarian aid to Mariupol under the auspices of France – Greece – Turkey, the Foreign Minister points out that he can only be satisfied when he sees other countries sharing the same concern and the same interest. . In fact, he makes special mention of France, with which, as he notes, Greece is in coordination and contact points have been set between the Greek and French Foreign Ministries on the issue of humanitarian aid in Mariupol.
In this context, Nikos Dendias maintains that Greece’s interest in Mariupol is not limited to any relief that Greece can offer to its inhabitants during the war, but “we are determined to support the city and then, with the first symbolic step the reconstruction of her maternity hospital, as announced by the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis “.
He did not fail to reiterate his unequivocal condemnation of the horrific crimes committed during the withdrawal of the Russian occupation forces against Ukrainian civilians in the Ukrainian city of Bukha, which were revealed a few days ago. “Those responsible for these crimes must be held accountable. “For this reason, we called for the immediate investigation of the crimes and the punishment of those responsible,” he underlines.
The visit to Odessa “signaled the importance that Greece attaches to the Greek community living there”
Regarding his recent visit to Odessa, Nikos Dendias, after mentioning that a few hours before his arrival in the city, Russian missiles hit facilities a few kilometers from its center, highlights its importance. “This visit was important in many ways. First of all, it signaled the importance that Greece attaches to the Greek community living there, members of which I had the opportunity to meet. Also, our Consulate General, the only consulate in a European country, reopened. I carried humanitarian aid as a sign of Greece’s support for Ukraine. I even had contacts with the deputy prime minister, as well as with the mayor of the city. Finally, we should not forget that Odessa is inextricably linked to Greek history, as it was the seat of the Friendly Society. “I visited again, as I had gone to Odessa last July, the Museum of Friendly Society, which fortunately has not been damaged.”
“Greece has the potential to become a regional gas delivery station”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs makes special reference to the regional cooperation schemes that Greece has developed with a number of other countries in the region. “They can serve as a solid foundation, on which broader partnerships can be built in a number of areas that will be of greater concern to us in the near future, such as energy security, civil protection and tourism.” “This presupposes, of course, that all the countries in the region will refrain from revisions and aggressive moves and rhetoric against other states,” he explains.
Referring to the tripartite meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Greece, Israel and Cyprus held on Tuesday in Athens, Nikos Dendias points out that they agreed to establish a cooperation mechanism on civil protection and tourism, two key areas for our country, as well as for our partners. “The meeting of the three countries is an expression of our common will to continue planning actions aimed at promoting peace, stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean, as we have the same vision in terms of security challenges and threats. “Also, to promote the mutual benefit that comes from good neighborly relations, when it is based on respect for international law, and to ensure safe conditions for the synergies that arise from the energy prospects of the Eastern Mediterranean,” he added.
It further maintains that this cooperation will continue to develop, regardless of relations with third countries. “This was the message we received from our Israeli counterpart,” he said.
Regarding energy independence from Russia, he notes that the Russian invasion of Ukraine highlighted the urgent need for new infrastructure. In this context, it expresses the belief that Greece has the potential to become a regional gas delivery station, both through the liquefied gas conversion facilities in Revythousa and Alexandroupolis and through the various pipelines, existing and planned. In this regard, the three Foreign Ministers discussed cooperation in the field of energy, and explicit reference was made to both the EastMed pipeline and the electricity connection – the Euro-Asia Interconnector, which will follow the same path as the East-Med, underlines Nikos Dendias.
Specifically for EastMed, it states that the developments in relation to this issue are primarily about economic viability, the technical possibilities of the project and the environmental impact and not the geopolitical choices.
In fact, the Foreign Minister makes a special reference to the deepening of relations with both the countries of the region and the USA, emphasizing that it is even more urgent in the light of the new global challenges. “And we are actively working in that direction,” he assures.
Regarding the relations with the countries of the region, Nikos Dendias, after referring to the meeting in the Negev desert between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the USA, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, points out that the fact that Greece has privileged relations with all the above countries are the result of continuous efforts that put it at the center and not in the periphery of developments.
The relationship between Greece and Egypt is strategic
The Foreign Minister makes a special reference to Greece’s relations with Egypt. More specifically, he points out the strategic relationship of Greece with Egypt, as well as that the Greek-Egyptian agreement on the delimitation of maritime zones for the energy interconnection of the EU and our country with Africa proves to be decisive.
Finally, he stressed that they are in constant contact and close coordination with his Cypriot counterpart Ioannis Kasoulidis on all issues.
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