Ultimately, what is the most appropriate policy towards Turkey? The so-called policy of appeasement or a more ‘aggressive’ policy?
From the moment of my appointment, I made it clear that Greece holds an olive branch in one hand and a sword in the other in order to defend its national rights. I must also remind you that, during the first weeks of taking on my portfolio, I was harshly criticised by the Turkish side for calling our neighbour a troublemaker in the region, and have been ceaselessly denouncing Turkish illegal activities, not only in Greece but also abroad at international fora. Thanks to our actions, major countries (including Russia) and powerful states in the region have condemned the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Tripoli and Ankara. We must not mistake the prudence and responsibility shown by our country in the face of the provocative, illegal behaviour and intemperate political discourse of our neighbours for appeasement. We have made it clear to all our international interlocutors, including Turkey, that the Greek government will not lower the bar when defending its sovereignty and sovereign rights. We will defend every last inch of national territory, as we are bound by the Constitution, which we swore to uphold. This is not a matter of political choice, but of duty. Turkey would be wise to measure itself on the basis of reality and not its dreams. I should also note that complaints of a supposed policy of appeasement are mainly being voiced by the main opposition party, which handled Greek-Turkish affairs for five whole years and handed over power just five months ago. Therefore, any criticism on its part should be worded more carefully.
What has changed following the latest meeting with Tayyip Erdoğan?
At the meeting with President Erdoğan in London, the Prime Minister clearly laid out all issues arising from Turkish actions, such as the illegal memorandum delimiting the maritime zones of Turkey and Libya, and the handling of the migration issue. We may not have seen specific progress achieved, but I view the fact that the two sides met at the highest level as positive. Dialogue is always necessary, particularly when there is disagreement.
Are you concerned about a heated incident in the Aegean or even military conflict in our broader region?
I believe Turkey will be exceptionally careful in its movements and will not risk a heated incident in the Aegean, which would not be in its interest, in any case. The risk of a heated incident, even by accident, can certainly not be ruled out when there are almost daily engagements of armed fighter jets in the Aegean skies. As the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said, difficulties with Turkey existed and will continue to exist. The situation must be de-escalated and contacts for confidence-building measures are continuing in the right direction. Consequently, we are not concerned. We continue to confidently and responsibly strive for dialogue, but remain vigilant, trusting in the soundness of our Armed Forces to deter any threat.
For months, the EU has been raising the issue of imposing sanctions on Turkey. Do you believe this will take place and, if so, will it bear results?
The European Union is not just discussing, but has in fact adopted sanctions in regard to the issue of the Cypriot EEZ. The fact that it condemned Turkey in practice by imposing sanctions is very important. In October, the EU Foreign Affairs Council decided to impose measures on individuals as well as legal entities, a decision endorsed by the European Council of heads of states and governments of EU Member States. This was the first time the EU decided to take such measures against a candidate for accession, sending the message that violations of International Law have consequences. Europe must remain decisive in the face of such practices in the clearest possible way, and we are working in this direction. Turkey's extortion of Europe and its Member States must cease. We have made it clear to everyone that there is zero tolerance for a country that habitually violates International Law.
Are you planning to convene the National Council on Foreign Policy? If so, what will the agenda be and for what purpose?
The government is committed to convening the National Council on Foreign Policy on a regular basis, in order for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to brief the parties in parliament, as is appropriate, on developments regarding all matters of national interest. As such, following the instructions of the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, I will be convening the NCFP this coming Tuesday in order to brief party representatives on developments regarding Turkey and other international issues of interest.
Will Greece take any initiative for the opening of accession negotiations for Albania and North Macedonia?
First of all, the European prospects of the countries in the region started with Greece, following a Greek initiative. This is one of our strategic goals. In 2003, the Summit Meeting held in Thessaloniki under the Greek Presidency of the EU laid the foundations for a policy aiming at the transformation of the Balkans from a field of constant conflict to an area of peace, stability and prosperity. We are still following this policy, even after the decision made in October not to give the ‘green light’ to Albania and North Macedonia. The Greek government intends to take targeted initiatives to support the European prospects of the countries in the region. To this end, we have already planned the groundwork for the meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Albania, to be held in February in Thessaloniki. Greece also intends to organise a summit between the EU Member States, the five countries of the Western Balkans and Kosovo early next year. I should add that, following an invitation on my part, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia and Albania will be attending an informal working breakfast for the Ministers of the EU on the margins of the next Foreign Affairs Council, to be held this coming Monday, the 9th of December. Finally, there are also a number of bilateral contacts underway with my counterparts, with whom we candidly discuss developments in the region. As you are aware, I have already visited Skopje, and we had planned a visit to Albania, which we unfortunately had to postpone due to the deadly earthquake that struck the country. I immediately travelled to Tirana after the earthquake to manifestly express the solidarity and support of Greece to our neighbour, but we are awaiting the situation there to normalise before initiating any new contacts with the Albanian leadership. Furthermore, I received my Dutch counterpart in Athens, and will presently be visiting France and Denmark, two countries with reservations as to the opening of accession negotiations for Albania and North Macedonia.
What effect would a hypothetical indefinite ‘freezing’ of the commencement of the Prespa Agreement have?
This is a bilateral agreement that went into effect immediately after being ratified by the national delegations of the two countries, and it cannot be affected by accession negotiations. Both parties are bound by its provisions, and we have communicated to North Macedonia that we expect its proper and rigorous implementation. This is, after all, a prerequisite for its European course, a course we hope will lead to a visible future where our neighbour will be welcomed into our European family.
How close are we to an agreement with our neighbours on delimiting EEZs? What are your next steps in this direction?
Greece is striving to delineate Exclusive Economic Zones with its neighbours through respective agreements on the basis of the Law of the Sea. We are making good progress with Italy, as we have agreed on a text. I believe we will also move in a positive direction as regards Egypt. During my recent visit to Cairo, my counterpart, Mr Shoukry, and I agreed to expedite talks on a technical level because, as proven by the discovery of the Zohr gas field, we will both benefit from being able to explore and leverage our natural wealth. As regards Albania, as you are aware, we had reached an agreement which was annulled by the Constitutional Court of Albania. Beyond that, it must be made clear that maritime zones can only be delimited between neighbouring countries. This is not the case with Turkey and Libya. They are not neighbouring countries, and any agreement would be in direct violation of any concept of International Law and especially the Law of the Sea, as it would be wholly ignoring the existence of entire islands. Therefore, you can see that these arbitrary actions are illegal, ludicrous and absolutely unsubstantiated in terms of International Law.
What is the Greek government expecting from the Prime Minister’s meeting with President Trump at the White House?
Today, relations between Greece and the US are at their highest point ever. At the bilateral level, just recently my counterpart, Mike Pompeo, and I signed an agreement to upgrade our defence cooperation, while the strategic dialogue between our countries since December 2018 is the roadmap for advancing our relations. Consequently, on the 7th of January, the two leaders will not be discussing bilateral relations in a vague sense, but will be assessing and exchanging views on the tangible, measurable results of the working groups and technical teams that have made numerous contacts, each in its own domain. I would remind you, in brief, that the strategic dialogue extends from energy, trade and investments to relations between our societies (people to people), regional cooperation, innovation and defence cooperation. Therefore, we expect further progress in these areas. Beyond that, I consider it self-evident that, in the context of this strategic relationship, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Trump will once again discuss regional challenges and the role of Greece in promoting security and stability in the entire region of the Eastern Mediterranean. It is clear that Greece is an important member of NATO, a reliable partner and a growing pole of stability in our wider, turbulent region. At the same time, it is one of the few members of the Alliance that fully discharges its obligations and, through its adherence to our common values and principles, has forged a strategic relationship with the US that safeguards Greek interests.
December 7, 2019