The aim is for Greece and Türkiye to have agreed on the framework for delimitation of the continental shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone by January 2025, in order to be able to move to the discussion ahead, Foreign Affairs Minister George Gerapetritis said in an interview to ‘Kathimerini’ daily published Sunday.
He also noted that it is probable that in his meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in November in Athens he will discuss the next steps for the possible promotion of discussions.
Gerapetritis said in his interview that in diplomacy “only an action creates useful energy” and he noted there is no reason to continue exploratory contacts, since “it has turned out that sometimes at the end of every round we were in a worse position than at its beginning.” He mentioned that the two countries have so far held 64 exploratory talks over 21 years, with mixed success.
It has been nearly 15 months since Athens’ and Ankara’s leaders made the decision to “start in a structured manner Greek-Turkish dialog and place bilateral relations on a different path,” the FM said. This has resulted in “a level of adequate trust, with open channels to prevent crises” such as the migration issue, civil protection, and the positive agenda, while the violations of national air space have dropped to nearly zero.
This climate, he said, “confirms our will to create in establishing calmness and security in our neighboring region, which lies in the middle of two conflicts. Right now, the two foreign ministers have received the order to evaluate whether conditions are ripe to move ahead to substantial dialog for the delimitation of the continental shelf and the EEZ.”
He explained that “the conditions are linked to the content of the discussion, which could relate just to the specific issue, the general principles that will be applied for the delimitation; that is, the full application of international law, the timetable, and the form of dialog and the potential referral to international arbitration, which could become the end of this journey, based on a mutual arbitration agreement.” All these he will discuss with his Turkish counterpart, the FM added.
Gerapetritis clarified that the dialog does not involve the issue of national territorial waters, which as a sovereign issue is not included in Greek-Turkish dialog, while their expansion is “a sovereign and inalienable right of the Greek state in the manner at time that will be seen as the best.”
January meeting
If there is agreement between the two countries in terms of the framework for the delimitation, Gerapetritis said, “the two leaders will provide, if they judge so, a special directive during the Supreme Cooperation Council meeting scheduled in January in Ankara, to start substantial discussions. If there is no agreement of both sides for the framework, the discussion for delimitation will not proceed, and we will try to retain the fairly good climate.”
Among other comments, Gerapetritis said that the Declaration of Athens signed in December 2023 explicitly mentions that neither side is giving up their basic legal positions, but the difference is that Greece’s stance fully complies with international law and the Law of the Sea, specifically, and insists on its full implementation. “Greece never recognized nor plans to recognize Turkish claims, such as those emanating from the illegal and unsubstantiated Turkish-Libyan memorandum,” the FM asserted.
Gerapetritis said that the government had the knowledge, self-confidence, and prudence to talk with Türkiye. “But we also have a very strong international capital, which we have claimed with our consistence and our non-negotiable position in support of the full implementation of international law. That is why this era allows Greece to be actively present internationally and to discuss difficult issues bilaterally. And I feel that this is the mood of the greater part of society, which understands the value of long-term peace and stability, especially when our region and the entire world sufers from wars and asymmetrical crises. This government has proven it can handle difficulties.”
Other issues
Among other issues he referred to in the interview, Gerapetritis said the maritime parks will move ahead as originally planned and will be implemented on clearly environmental, not geopolitical, criteria.
Asked about the Cyprus issue, he termed the informal meeting planned this month among the UN secretary general, the president of the Cyprus Republic, and the Turkish Cypriot community leader as positive. The improvement of Greek-Turkish relations will create better conditions for the restart of talks on the Cyprus issue, the Greek FM asserted.
Asked about Greece and Albania, Gerapetritis said “it is in the interest of our citizens to work toward improving our relations,” and underlined that “a more European Albania will be a better neighbor to Greece.”
Gerapetritis also “absolutely condemned” Iran’s attack on Israel and expressed concern over the spread of the conflict in the Middle East. Greece, he said, talks to all sides and remains a pillar of stability in the greater region. As a non-permanent elected member of the UN Security Council, Greece will urge all sides to diplomatic initiatives to achieve peace.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
