The following are excerpts from Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas’s 14 March interview on NET TV, with journalist M. Sarafoglou:
[On the earthquake in Japan]
· We have expressed Greece’s solidarity at the very highest level. Unfortunately, we too have bitter experience of such natural disasters. We have offered our services and the Japanese government will decide when it needs those services, and we will give our assistance.
[On the results of the extraordinary summit meeting of the Eurogroup]
· It really is a kind of shield for the immediate future, so that the weight that has fallen on Greece can lessen a little. And in this way we can also send the necessary, convincing message to the international markets: that Greece has a viable economy; that it is doing well. And the goal, as always, is for Greece to be able to go to the international markets for loans soon, and thus stand on its own feet.
[On the results of the extraordinary European Council on North Africa]
· For Greece, it is the highest principle that any action, any decision taken, should be fully legitimized by the UN Security Council. On these issues, the international community really needs to keep the unified voice we have had so far.
· Greece has said that all of the countries in the region of the Arab world must be in agreement with these actions and participate in the decisions and the implementation of the decisions, because it is very important that the Arab world not have the sense that the West is coming back to impose certain things.
[On Davutoglu’s statements on withdrawing casus belli in exchange for the non-extension of territorial waters]
· This is unthinkable, and the Turkish side knows it. We have said that these things are not comparable. You cannot have casus belli on one side, while the other side is asked to waive its rights, which derive from international treaties, international law. The strict framework for the talks is full respect for international law, respect for Greece’s sovereign rights, Greece’s territorial integrity.
March 14, 2011