Multiple and resounding messages addressed to Turkey, for the respect of International Law, and to Europe, for the strengthening of insularity, were sent today from Kastellorizo by Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, who participated in a special event themed: “Insularity as a Priority for the Future of Europe”.
The event constituted an initiative of the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, who coordinates the national Dialogue on the Future of Europe and was held in collaboration with the Region of the South Aegean. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, Ioannis Kasoulides, Minister of State for European Affairs of Ireland, Thomas Byrne, and Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds of Malta, Stefan Azzopardi participated in the event, via videoconference. The Regional Governor of South Aegean, Georgios Chadjimarkos, the Mayor of Kastellorizo, Georgios Sampsakos, the President of the Regional Union of Municipalities of South Aegean and Mayor of Rhodes, Antonis Kambourakis, the Mayor of Ios, Gkikas Gkikas, and the Rector of the University of the Aegean, Chrysi Vigilaki, spoke at the event.
In a visit with a powerful symbolism, the Alternate Minister sent the message that “the heart of Europe beats here in Kastellorizo. Here in Kastellorizo, we are stepping on European soil, which is an integral part of the European Union, of the European continent. Here, people defend the values of our common borders, our common bonds. And, of course, here we speak with a single voice, so as to look forward at the peaceful future of our citizens, the way to develop with equality, with opportunities for all in an environment of peace”.
Mr. Varvitsiotis added that he is proud of the international participation of Cyprus, Malta and Ireland through their Ministers responsible for European Affairs, as they confirm that “Kastellorizo, like all Greek islands, constitutes an integral part of island Europe and the borders of the European Union; borders that are guarded, borders of values, borders of shared destinations and aspirations”.
In the same vein, he noted that the message being sent today is also a message of respect for International Law, as no development policy can be adopted and no major joint project can be carried out unless we all have a common ground. “Our common ground is the International Law of the Sea, respect and protection of borders and of course relations of good neighbourliness” he said, making a special mention of Turkey as the recipient of the message. “It is a message we send from Kastellorizo to everyone, but especially to the other side of the Aegean, where they must finally realize that in the modern world we speak in terms of cooperation and International Law and not with attitudes that point to the 18th century, to pirate states, or those who thought they could change the course of history solely by force. We are committed to peace, to cooperation, to International Law. We are affiliated not only as Greeks, but also as Europeans," he pointedly said.
In the same vein, Mr. Varvitsiotis stressed that the application of the International Law of the Sea is an essential prerequisite for the implementation of insular policies. International Law, he said, points the way to make good use of our shared sea, without questioning the rights of others, but providing our citizens with the opportunity to develop and exploit its resources. That is why, he added, Turkey must subscribe to the Law of the Sea, in order to resolve our long-standing differences and bring peace to our islands.
The Alternate Minister also placed special emphasis on the decisive role of the islands and the Mediterranean for the prosperity of Greece and Europe. “The Mediterranean is not just another sea. 200 million people live on the European shores and, in addition to security issues, it is a source of income”, he said, making special mention of tourism, transport, green energy, the blue economy and cultural exchanges.
For this reason, Mr. Varvitsiotis stressed the need to formulate an integrated European island policy, which will ensure the islanders the same quality of life as the inhabitants of the mainland. In particular, he noted the need to enjoy a good transport network, high quality health care, unhindered access to education, self-sufficiency in energy and water, but also to address the high cost of living through subsidizing part of transport by member states.
At this point, the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs sent one more message to Europe, stressing that “the challenge for the technocrats in Brussels is to realize the special nature of insularity”. As he mentioned, each island should be treated separately, based on its size, its capacities, its distance from the mainland and its own special needs.
Finally, on the issue of climate change, Mr. Varvitsiotis stressed that in a Europe surrounded by sea we cannot discuss ways to address it, without referring to maritime environmental policies. In this context, he recalled the Conclusions of the EUMED Summit in Athens last year, at the initiative of our country, which then held the Presidency of the Euro-Mediterranean Group. He also noted that the Mitsotakis government has already introduced relevant policies, such as restrictions on the use of plastics and the Green Islands project (Astypalea, Tilos).
It is noted that, after the conclusion of the event, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis visited the Megisti Island Defence Force Camp and the Surveillance Post of the island of Rho.
February 12, 2022