Main points:
[On Libya]
· The international community has taken a clear stance and demands an immediate ceasefire and protection of the civilian population. It is disappointing that things came to this. It is disappointing that the Qaddafi regime answered to the Libyan people’s demands for change and democracy with weapons, with violence. And the international community agrees that this violence has to stop.
· Last Saturday, in Paris, the international community reaffirmed its determination and its demand for implementation of Resolution 1973. Friendly countries, partners and allies, have already taken action. Greece is not participating in the military operations, but within the framework of its obligations and the implementation of Resolution 1973, it is providing facilitation of a support nature to its friends the allied countries.
· The European Union also reiterates its solidarity with the member states that are open to migration pressures. This is of particular importance to Greece, and I stressed this in my address to today’s Council. It is a joint effort; it is an effort that will test our unity and our preparedness.
[On piracy of the coast of Somalia]
· In the context of the whole discussion on the EU strategy on Somalia, I raised the issue today of the humanitarian nature of the situation of the hostage seamen in the hands of the pirates in Somalia.
· following our efforts today, a relevant statement was included in the Council conclusions on Somalia – which were adopted today – expressing the EU’s intense concern on this matter and noting the need to confront the terrible situation the hostage seamen find themselves in from day to day. I look forward to corresponding action on the ground.
Complete transcript of the press conference (translation):
Mr. Droutsas: The main subject of the Foreign Affairs Council was, as you would expect, the developments in Libya. We all know the situation right now. The UN Security Council has adopted Resolution 1973. The international community has taken a clear stance and demands an immediate ceasefire and protection of the civilian population. It is disappointing that things came to this. It is disappointing that the Qaddafi regime answered to the Libyan people’s demands for change and democracy with weapons, with violence. And the international community agrees that this violence has to stop.
From the very outset, Greece has set as a priority and a prerequisite the adoption of a Security Council resolution determining the stance and providing a legitimizing basis for the international community’s reply, with the embargo and the freezing of the regime’s assets. First, we limited the resources at Qaddafi’s disposal for his regime. With the referral to the International Court of Justice, we ensured that crimes will not go unpunished. But the regime continued to attack civilians. It was and is a duty for all of us not to allow this situation to continue.
Last Saturday, in Paris, the international community reaffirmed its determination and its demand for implementation of Resolution 1973. Friendly countries, partners and allies, have already taken action. Greece is not participating in the military operations, but within the framework of its obligations and the implementation of Resolution 1973, it is providing facilitation of a support nature to its friends the allied countries.
As we speak, NATO is continuing its consultations for determining its involvement in the arms embargo, the humanitarian operations and the imposition of the no-fly zone, and the EU, with the decisions we took a short while ago, is taking a leading role in every dimension of the humanitarian sector, always within the framework of the Security Council resolution and in coordination with the competent UN organs.
The European Union also reiterates its solidarity with the member states that are open to migration pressures. This is of particular importance to Greece, and I stressed this in my address to today’s Council. It is a joint effort; it is an effort that will test our unity and our preparedness.
All the countries in the region – Arab countries, African countries – together with our partners, need to show their determination to the Qaddafi regime, and the approval, and even the participation, of the Arab countries is of particular importance.
Finally, Greece has direct interests in the region. These developments decisively impact the security and stability of our whole neighbourhood. Greece’s policy is dictated by self-evident principles of international and humanitarian law, as well as by the immediate interests of our country, of course. We continue to hope and try for a diplomatic/political solution to the crisis, and in this effort, Greece is at the disposal of the international community.
I would like to say a couple more words about another issue of importance to Greece: the matter of the hostages taken by pirates in Somalia.
In the context of the whole discussion on the EU strategy on Somalia, I raised the issue today of the humanitarian nature of the situation of the hostage seamen in the hands of the pirates in Somalia.
In a letter I sent about a month ago to High Representative Lady Ashton and Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Commissioner Georgieva, I raised the issue, noting the need to find ways to confront – to the degree possible – the terrible situation of the hostage seamen through international cooperation between the EU, international organizations and NGOs active in this sector. And following our efforts today, a relevant statement was included in the Council conclusions on Somalia – which were adopted today – expressing the EU’s intense concern on this matter and noting the need to confront the terrible situation the hostage seamen find themselves in from day to day. I look forward to corresponding action on the ground.
Thank you. Your questions, please.
Journalist: Greece is participating, to the extent you described, providing bases and facilitations. Do you think the situation will proceed through NATO, or have the difficulties Turkey has created in NATO blocked the situation?
Mr. Droutsas: As I said earlier, the NATO consultations are continuing as we speak. Late last night – around midnight, when we got here – yesterday’s session had finished without an agreement, specifically on the issue of the no-fly zone. The deliberations are continuing today. Right now, I am not in a position to say what the result will be. As you yourself said, there is a member of the Alliance, Turkey, that raised objections yesterday. We will see today, following the consultations, whether Turkey withdraws these objections. I would just like to stress that we don’t think it would be advisable – and we wouldn’t want to see such important issues, like dealing with developments in Libya, when the international community has really managed to speak in a single voice so far – for such important issues to be exploited along with other issues bearing directly on developments in Libya. I would like to believe that everyone needs to take responsibility and show the necessary responsibility, and I hope that it is this spirit that prevails in the NATO consultations today.
Journalist: You said you will be going to Berlin after Brussels. To what end?
Mr. Droutsas: This is a visit that has been planned for some time now for me to speak at an event on economic developments and in the German parliament, on the issue of economic developments. Just so there is no misunderstanding, this has nothing to do with the positive result the Greek Prime Minister got here in Brussels at the Eurogroup Summit. And I will also have the opportunity during my stay in Berlin to meet with my German counterpart, Mr. Guido Westerwelle, and we will have the opportunity to discuss all the recent developments. I think we can expect developments in Libya to dominate our talks tomorrow.
Journalist: I assume you are aware that the rapporteur of the FYROM report stands accused of corruption – the Slovenian MEP, Mr. Thaler, who resigned today. Will we raise the issue, through our MEPs, of the reliability of his report – what is our position?
Mr. Droutsas: I, too, found out about these developments today – unpleasant developments. We will look into the matter. I don’t rule out anything.
Journalist: One last question: You said that you and other countries are asking for assistance on illegal migration. Your Italian colleague, Mr. Frattini, talked about the need to share the burden of impending illegal migration among all the EU countries. Is there such a prospect?
Mr. Droutsas: There hasn’t been an official discussion yet on specific measures. Obviously, we, too, are in contact with our partners who are dealing with or might be called upon to deal with similar problems. There is the necessary coordination among us, and when the time is ripe we will approach our other partners to put forward our specific proposals.
I would just like to remind you at this point that there is an important commitment from the European Commission: that it will draw up and present a comprehensive plan on this issue by the next European Council – not next week’s; the June Council. And at these Commission proceedings – and in coordination and cooperation with our partners who are facing similar problems – we will submit our proposals.
March 21, 2011