Today, I again had the opportunity to brief the representatives of the parties in Parliament, with the exception of the representative of New Democracy – the relevant discussion will take place on Monday – about recent developments in our foreign policy issues. I last briefed them about two weeks ago, but a lot has happened since then. This is why I deemed it necessary to brief them again.
First of all, regarding the agreement with Albania on referring the issue of the delimitation of maritime zones to the International Court in The Hague. An agreement meeting with broad acceptance in both countries that demonstrates internationally that Greece is an exemplar of how disputes between neighbours should be resolved in the 21st century: that is, through dialogue in good-faith and abiding by the principle of peaceful resolution of disputes, in contrast to Turkey’s vain, illegal and dangerous attempts to create faits accomplis.
I also briefed my interlocutors on the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov's visit, last Monday. During this visit, we stressed the importance of further enhancing our bilateral relations with Russia. The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs made an extremely important statement regarding our country’s inalienable right to extend its territorial waters – as defined clearly by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea – to 12 nautical miles in general, and specifically in the Aegean. This statement carries special weight, bearing in mind that it was made in Athens. It is also a statement that puts paid to the myth of Russia’s supposed objection to the extension to 12 nautical miles in the Aegean.
I would like to thank the party representatives for the constructive spirit in which they approached this briefing. I want to reiterate that these times call for national unity on our national issues. It is important that the great majority of the parties represented in Parliament have responded to the current need for unity.
October 29, 2020