JOURNALIST: Minister, you recently referred to Greece’s readiness to refer the Greek-Turkish dispute to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Do you consider that, at this juncture, the conditions are appropriate for negotiations to begin on the drafting of a special agreement?
G. GERAPETRITIS: I have repeatedly stressed – and this is a firm and clear national position – that the delimitation of the continental shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone is the one and only dispute between Greece and Türkiye that may be brought before an international judicial body. Its resolution, on the basis of International Law and, in particular, the Law of the Sea, is a necessary condition for lasting and sustainable peace in the region, given that the underlying source of tensions usually lies precisely there.
Greece is always ready to discuss the resolution of this dispute. This was, after all, one of the reasons why we invested in the structured dialogue with Türkiye over the past three years: to open channels of communication and explore whether favourable conditions can be created to make progress on the issue of delimitation.
However, referring this issue to an international judicial body requires the parties to agree on a special agreement defining the subject matter of the dispute. On this issue, at present, the positions of the two sides differ substantially. Türkiye seeks to submit for judicial determination arbitrary and unfounded claims relating to matters of Greek sovereignty. Issues of sovereignty have always been and will remain outside the scope of discussion. Consequently, under the current circumstances, the conditions are not yet in place for a substantive discussion on the special agreement to begin.
This does not affect our steadfast commitment to dialogue or our readiness to resolve the dispute concerning the delimitation of maritime zones in accordance with International Law.
JOURNALIST: Both you and the Prime Minister have said on numerous occasions that the extension to 12 nautical miles in the Aegean will take place when Greece considers the time appropriate. Is an extension to 12 nautical miles south of Crete something that could take place sooner?
G. GERAPETRITIS: The extension of our territorial waters to 12 nautical miles is an inalienable right of Greece deriving from the International Law of the Sea. The timing and manner in which this right is exercised will be determined unilaterally by the Greek State, guided exclusively by the national interest and in full compliance with International Law. After all, it was our government that extended Greece’s territorial waters in the Ionian Sea and as far as Cape Tainaron. We have demonstrated in practice that, on matters of sovereignty and sovereign rights, we make no concessions.
JOURNALIST: Under what circumstances would Greece request the activation of Article 42.7 of the Lisbon Treaty in the context of mutual defence assistance? Could it request its activation, for example, if the laying of the cable for the electricity interconnection were obstructed? Is this something you have raised with your European counterparts?
G. GERAPETRITIS: The electricity interconnection between Greece and Cyprus is a Project of Common European Interest, fully compatible with the International Law of the Sea. The participation of the French company Meridiam, with a majority stake, further underscores precisely this European dimension. Beyond being a European project, however, it is also a project firmly grounded in the provisions of International Law. Greece, France and Cyprus have expressed their political support for the project, and we will do what is required of us to ensure its unhindered implementation.
In international relations, there are multiple and overlapping levels of response. Greece has at its disposal and makes use of all the diplomatic, legal, European and defence instruments afforded to it by International Law, its status as a Member State of the European Union, and its broader international cooperation and partnerships. Our partners in the European Union, as well as the European institutions, are aware of developments regarding the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection, particularly since, as a European project, it directly concerns them.
Article 42.7 of the Lisbon Treaty, namely the European Union’s mutual assistance clause, applies in the event of armed aggression against a Member State of the Union. As regards this provision of the Treaties, discussions are already under way at European level on its further operational and effective implementation. Greece is actively participating – and, I would say, taking a leading role – in this discussion. The need to draw up a roadmap and clarify, on a case-by-case basis, the form of response following activation of the clause has already been raised. It would not, however, be appropriate to link in advance an institutional mechanism for mutual defence assistance to a hypothetical operational scenario.
In any event, Greece is taking the appropriate preventive measures. We have the EU by our side; we have France, with which, moreover, we are bound by an Agreement on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership for Cooperation in Defence and Security; we have alliances and strategic partnerships with a number of countries in our wider region; and, above all, we have the international standing we have established as reliable interlocutors and partners. As regards surveying and cable-laying, which constitute freedoms under the Law of the Sea, there is no middle ground. Anyone who believes that they can violate international and European rules without paying a price will ultimately pay it with interest.
JOURNALIST: New Democracy has faced criticism from former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras for being overly accommodating in Greek-Turkish relations, with the argument that appeasement leads to new faits accomplis. How do you respond?
G. GERAPETRITIS: Everyone’s views are respected, all the more so when they come from a former Prime Minister. A government is judged by the policy it pursues and by its results. Any criticism – or at least any criticism made in good faith – must therefore be grounded in reality. And reality is unforgiving for everyone. First, all Greek governments have engaged in dialogue with Türkiye, including the government of Mr Samaras, and indeed under far more difficult circumstances. Dialogue with Türkiye is neither an innovation of the present government nor a sign of willingness to make concessions. It has long been an instrument of Greek foreign policy – and rightly so. Second, Türkiye’s rhetoric of claims is not new; it goes back decades. What has indeed changed is our country’s relative position compared with the past. Greece has strengthened its diplomatic and strategic footprint, broadened and deepened its international alliances and partnerships, and is in a clearly stronger position than at any time in the past – diplomatically, defensively and economically. At the same time, it has put its arguments on the table as never before: marine parks, Maritime Spatial Planning, extraction of subsea resources, and an extensive projection of power across the wider region. Yes, things are different today: Greece takes initiatives on the ground and elicits the largely expected reactions.
Equating dialogue with supposed appeasement is a distortion of reality, if not an expression of ideological fixation and hypocrisy. We have demonstrated in practice that we can engage in dialogue with confidence and fully defend our positions, without any retreat or concession and, on the contrary, while substantially strengthening the country’s position at multiple levels. Today, Greeks can feel prouder than ever before of their country’s international standing. Our voice is heard everywhere, strong and unwavering. If this bothers some, it is certainly not our concern. We will continue to build bridges while, at the same time, increasing our strength in the world.
September 12, 2026