“The destructive trenches between ‘North’ and ‘South’ should have no place in European dialogue”, stresses the Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, in an interview he gave to ‘O Fileleftheros tis Kyriakis’ and journalist Andreas Pimpisiis. In view of the tourist season, Mr Varvitsiotis notes that “the Greek response to the pandemic serves as a ‘passport’ of safety, credibility and health that will attract foreign visitors”. Furthermore, given ongoing Turkish provocations, the Alternate Minister stresses that “we will not lower the bar when it comes to our national sovereignty” and that “our composure to date should under no circumstance be misinterpreted as weakness”. The Alternate Minister also discussed the momentum of multilateral schemes in the South-Eastern Mediterranean and the Greek Chairmanship of the Council of Europe.
Entire interview below:
Let me begin with the crisis of the coronavirus pandemic, where Greece managed to win praise from many sides. What contributed towards Greece meeting this challenge?
In Greece, our chief concern was and remains the protection of human life and public health. We gave the floor to the experts, who led and continue to lead us to the correct political decisions. The measures we imposed were certainly hard, but proved effective in responding to the pandemic. Greek society demonstrated a strong sense of solidarity with the government's decisions, restoring confidence in the state after ten years of economic crisis. Our top priority at present is to reboot the tourist season during a difficult and different summer. The Greek response to the pandemic serves as a ‘passport’ of safety, credibility and health that will attract foreign visitors. The tourist season will begin on 15 June, when seasonal hotels will be permitted to open their doors, while as of 1 July, all Greek airports will be open to international flights. Specific health protocols will be followed, including sampling tests and no quarantine for visitors. As Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated during his most recent address, “just like we won the battle of health, we will also win the war of the economy”.
What appears to be a mainstay, regardless of crises or pandemics, is Turkey’s behaviour towards its neighbours, as it recently accused Greece, Cyprus and three other countries of conduct causing chaos. What is your response?
The only certainty is that it is not Greece that is responsible for or can be accused of causing chaos. Despite the numerous occasions it has been provoked, Greece's response remains composed, prudent and judicious. We will not be drawn into games of smoke and mirrors or irresponsible actions that could jeopardise calm in the region and sabotage everything accomplished over the last decades. We do not counter tension with tension, but with our diplomatic weapons and international legality. We do not aim to militarise the crisis. At a strategic, political and operational level, we take decisive and methodical actions, remaining firmly dedicated to the principles of International Law and the principles of good neighbourly relations. In contrast, there are others undermining peace in our neighbourhood and causing tension by adhering to gunboat diplomacy and making groundless claims. There are others taking provocative actions not just in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean but also in the wider region of the Middle East and North Africa. Sadly, the neighbour thrust upon us by geography is instrumentalising migrants and refugees, conducting flyovers and violations of our national sovereignty by air and sea, carrying out drilling in the Cypriot EEZ, interfering in Syria and inciting conflict in Libya - and this is finally becoming understood by the international community as a whole, following systematic action on the part of Greek diplomacy over all these months. Turkey is now receiving a clear message not just from us, but also from our European partners and allies: if Turkey does not respect rules and meet its obligations, it cannot hope to deepen its strategic relations.
Turkey clearly wants to continue to steer the region towards tension. How dangerous is the game Turkey is playing with regard to Greece and with regard to other countries?
In recent months, Turkey has indeed been engaging in an unprecedented escalation of both its belligerent rhetoric and its provocations towards Greece and Cyprus. This escalation is obviously a concern for us and has triggered our reflexes at the political and operational level. Our Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies remain vigilant. After all, their effectiveness during the recent crisis in Evros was remarkable, as is their action in the Aegean on a daily basis. Greece can and will defend its interests in any manner deemed necessary and in response to any challenge, with no quarter for negotiation — because our composure to date should under no circumstance be misinterpreted as weakness. Violations of our sovereign rights will always be met with a proportionate and appropriate response.
In any event, maintaining tension is of no help to any country. We have to face the serious consequences of COVID-19 for our economies, and tourism in particular. In order to mitigate the harsh economic projections, we must establish a climate of tranquillity. That is why Greece is not limiting the scope for substantial dialogue with the other side.
To what extent is the international community accepting Ankara's efforts to present the agreement with Libya as legitimate?
Firstly, it bears repeating that the Memorandum of Understanding between Libya and Turkey is null and void on numerous formal and substantive grounds. It is an agreement that blatantly violates the International Law of the Sea and at the same time disregards geography itself — admittedly, to the tremendous benefit of our neighbours. It disregards Crete and a number of islands in the Dodecanese, as well as their right to maritime zones, and of course cuts off not only Greek but also Cypriot and Egyptian maritime zones. Naturally, this cannot be tolerated, nor will we allow Turkey to proceed unperturbed with carving out the area it claims in the Mediterranean basin on no legal or actual basis. Therefore, we categorically rejected the views of Turkey, reaffirming at every register and at all fora that this illegal memorandum produces no effects. Indeed, after intense diplomatic mobilisation on the part of Greece, our views are shared by numerous allies. Cyprus, Egypt and France have expressly condemned the memorandum as null and void, acknowledging that it undermines regional stability. Similarly, Israel and the USA have worded their strong concerns and reservations regarding this memorandum, while Italy has expressly supported Greece. Most importantly, though, as of the European Council held in December and following our country's concerted efforts and the support expressed by our European partners, the European Union unequivocally affirmed its solidarity towards Greece and Cyprus, and expressly declared that the memorandum is illegal and violates the sovereign rights of third parties. It most recently repeated this support one month ago. Therefore, it has become clear that we are no longer alone in this struggle. We have successfully made this issue an international one and remain in open communication with all actors directly involved. However, we are not letting our guard down. We will continue to voice our demand at every level and take all actions possible to ensure legality prevails.
Are you worried about the possibility of Turkey coming back with an organised plan to send refugees/migrants to the Greek borders?
During the recent crisis in Evros, Greece showed its resolve and proved that it knows how to protect its borders, which are also the borders of Europe. We do the same every day in the Aegean. After all, arrivals on islands have been negligible recently. This proves that the other side has received our message. However, we are not becoming complacent, particularly at present, when good weather conditions could favour such attempts to direct migrants towards our islands. Additionally, following the crisis in Evros, Europe has understood that through each attempt to instrumentalise the migration issue, Turkey is extorting not just Greece, but mainly Europe. In any event, this behaviour has been unequivocally and categorically condemned by the EU in its entirety. The migration issue is not a bilateral but a European one. Regardless, we remain prepared and resolved to defend any breach of our borders. We will not lower the bar when it comes to our national sovereignty.
In the last 2 to 3 months, due to the pandemic, we saw solidarity once more being called into question in the European Union. How do you view the way the EU responded to the pandemic crisis and what are the lessons for the future?
Europe's reaction, particularly at the beginning of the crisis, was admittedly hesitant, possibly even inadequate. The health crisis became a solidarity crisis. At present, efforts are underway in Europe to create a robust recovery fund. The proposal of France and Germany to create a €500bn fund is the minimum acceptable common ground. We believe that liquidity must be provided to the economies of Europe through grants rather than loans, particularly in areas and sectors of the EU that suffered the most, without adding to the public debt of Member States. Greece will do everything in its power to tailor this package to fit the country's needs.
In any case, the EU is divided into two camps — north and south — as was the case with the previous crisis. Could Europe overcome similar patterns of behaviour?
Europe does not have the luxury to waste time on futile conflicts and short-sighted internal divisions. At a time when we must face the unprecedented consequences of the pandemic, the destructive trenches between ‘North’ and ‘South’, ‘West’ and ‘East’, ‘prudent’ and ‘lazy’, ‘stingy’ and ‘ambitious’ should have no place in European dialogue. The pandemic created a new reality when it comes to talking about the future of Europe — a Europe which we hope will exit the pandemic stronger, more united and more responsible to its citizens’ ambitions.
What is the importance of partnerships between countries in the wider region of the Eastern Mediterranean and what messages does this send for the future, particularly for the post-pandemic era?
Greece is now an active participant in five trilateral partnerships with Eastern Mediterranean countries, a very important development for our foreign policy. This cooperation has proven not just multidimensional, but also very fertile to date. We have developed numerous, highly advanced joint actions, among other things, on the economy, entrepreneurship, energy, tourism, education and culture. The inter-state Agreement on the construction of the East Med pipeline, signed by Greece, Cyprus and Israel in Athens this January, in the presence of K. Mitsotakis, N. Anastasiades and B. Netanyahu, and ratified just a few days ago by the Hellenic Parliament, is part of this framework. This is a project of great geopolitical and energy importance, ensuring energy security and serving the international strategies of all the countries involved, as well as Europe itself. Once completed, this project will change the global state of play and strengthen the countries that dared envision and realise it. Of course, the other multilateral schemes in which Greece is a participant are proceeding along the same lines of cooperation that is beneficial for everyone. In fact, I would say that these schemes stand out precisely because of the momentum and potential to develop even further — through new actions, new areas of common interest and, why not, new partners. We hope to see Italy, a co-negotiator of the Agreement, join East Med soon. This momentum of multilateral schemes could prove invaluable, particularly during the period that began after the coronavirus restriction measures were lifted. In the tourism sector, specifically, talks to open borders and recommence airline connections to Cyprus and Israel are more advanced. It is certain that the channels we built over the course of this period contributed to an easier and smoother conclusion of arrangements between us. We hope this proves to be the case with other countries, as well, so that the growth we aspire to achieve in 2021 is further invigorated by such transnational partnerships — because there can be no growth without openness and international partnerships.
Amidst these adverse circumstances, Greece is taking on the Chairmanship of the Council of Europe. What are the priorities of the Greek Chairmanship in an institution primarily involved in defending human rights?
After many years, Greece is once again at the 'wheel’ of the Council of Europe. Sadly, the current period does not allow for a physical presence. That is why the Greek Chairmanship will be a digital Chairmanship (e-Chairmanship). The first step was the online handover ceremony. A few days ago, in the context of the cycle of online contacts with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the other 46 Member States of the Council of Europe, I attended a first video conference with the Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Christodoulides. The Greek Chairmanship adapted to the new reality imposed by Covid-19 with regard to its contents, and will chiefly focus on human rights, democracy and the rule of law during the pandemic era. Other priorities include education and democratic culture in a digital era, children as vulnerable persons (at risk of poverty, victims of violence, trafficking, forced labour, unaccompanied migrant minors) and safeguarding the right of younger generations to enjoy cultural heritage unaffected by the impact of climate change. Another priority concerns the European Social Charter, social rights in the framework of the Council of Europe, and the impact of the pandemic crisis on the right of access of vulnerable social groups to health as a public good. The main event of the Chairmanship will be the organisation of the 130th Session of the Committee of Ministers, to be held in Athens on 4 November 2020, on the 70th anniversary of the signing of the European Convention on Human Rights. The goal is the adoption of a Declaration on the impact of the pandemic on human rights and fundamental freedoms.
May 24, 2020