E. KOUTSOKOSTA: So, joining me now here in Brussels is the Greek Foreign Minister, Mr. Nikos Dendias. So, Minister, thank you very much for being with us.Ν. DENDIAS: Thank you for the opportunity. It’s a great pleasure.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: First of all, despite the calls from some member - states, including the Balkan states or Poland, the EU Foreign Minister decided to hold off from imposing new sanctions on Russian officials over the detention of Alexei Navalny. Do you agree with this approach? How should Europe treat Russia at this stage?Ν. DENDIAS: Well, we have agreed with the position of the huge majority of member - states as expressed by Josep Borrell that the EU should give a chance to Russia to reconsider. And in 30 days, we are going to discuss the issue again. That’s where we are.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: Talking now about sanctions; the sanctions discussed for months over the illegal activities of Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean still remain on hold, despite the political decision of the EU Council in December. And we heard clearly the German Foreign Minister yesterday say that this new positive atmosphere that is indeed created by the Turkish side, shouldn’t be burdened by new sanctions. Do you think that this atmosphere created right now justifies this, taking sanctions off the table?N. DENDIAS: Well, if you allow me to say, sanctions yesterday were not on the table to be taken off the table. Of course, Heiko Maas said exactly what you said, but sanctions were not discussed yesterday, they were not in the agenda.What we were discussing is current affairs. And current affairs, as you very rightly said, was the description of the huge change of the Turkish policy. From the power of gunboat diplomacy to some sort of effort to persuade everybody that Turkey is becoming a normal interlocutor who is going to discuss with us on the basis of International Law. Well, let us wait and see what the Turks are going to do, but we can be hopeful.Yet again, that does not mean that the European Union does not hold sanctions as a potential reaction to Turkey breaking again International Law.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: So, you say that they are still on the table?N. DENDIAS: The European Union says that they are on the table and the European Union hopes that they will not be implemented. And the way for them not to be implemented is for Turkey to abide by International Law.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: And what is the message that you got from the contacts and the meetings you had with top officials here, especially with a view to the Summit of March, that would ease again in the agenda and of course the positive agenda that is back on the table?N. DENDIAS: Well, first of all, Greece has always been advocating the dual track approach and that was the position expressed by Prime Minister Mitsotakis over the various European Councils. And my discussions with Josep Borrell, with the Vice Presidents of the Commission, Mr. Dombrovskis, Margaritis Schinas, was in order for me to understand how they view this, how they view the situation, how we can best follow this dual track approach towards the March Summit.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: Do you see a risk there that maybe Turkey takes what they want with this attitude of positiveness towards the EU and finally go back to what it was before?Ν. DENDIAS: Well, let us hope that President Erdoğan and my friend, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, see clearly where is the interest of the Turkish society. And I am one of the people who believe that the true interest of the Turkish society and of Turkey itself is good relations with the European Union. And maybe, who knows, sometime in the future they might become members of the European Union. But that means closer relations and full subscriptions to the European acquis.But please, allow me to remind that the European acquis consists also of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). So, Turkey has eventually to subscribe to that set of rules, which could lead to resolve our differences.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: And now, we are coming to the exploratory talks that resumed for the first time after five years. So, I would like to ask you, realistically speaking, what is your expectation from this process as it was described very positively from your counterparts in Europe as a very important step. So, what is your realistic expectation from this?Ν. DENDIAS: Well, I have to agree with you. Everybody is saying it is an important step, but please allow me to say it is not a big step. Exploratory talks are not negotiations. They are talks at the ambassadorial level, which try to define the terms of reference in order to have real negotiations. So that was the first meeting after five years.By the way, let us be frank, it was Turkey that stopped the meetings back in 2016, not Greece as Turkey thinks. But let’s go beyond that, the important thing is that they have resumed. Now, this was the first meeting, I understand it was just a ‘meet again’ meeting. We will see where we go from there. We have to be realists, but, also, we have to be optimists.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: But there are huge differences between the two sides, nothing has changed I guess - that’s what you said – so, what are your red lines in this process?N. DENDIAS: Well, let us not define an argument by red lines and let’s try to see the positive side of it. Turkey has decided after all that gunboat diplomacy leads to nothing. And they return to an effort to achieve an understanding with Greece, with Cyprus, with the European Union. I hold this as something extremely important and hope that we can build up on it, because that would be in the interest of both our societies, the interest of Europe, the interest of Turkey, the interest of Greece, the interest of Cyprus. So that’s the positive element.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: And in this context, you said that recently, last week, Greece extended its territorial waters towards the West, in Ionian Sea and of course, it is planning to do so also in the East. Do you still insist on that, despite of course the warnings, the renewed warnings of Turkey over a military action if so?N. DENDIAS: Well, I have to say that this was announced by Prime Minister Mitsotakis back on August 22. And extending the territorial waters of a country is its own right, a statement. Not a right that it has to negotiate with anybody else. So, this is a sovereign right of Greece and Greece will exercise it whenever the Greek government thinks it is an appropriate time. And also, apart from that, Greece is not going to negotiate on that basis with Turkey or for that matter with anybody else.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: So, there is no view to timeline that.N. DENDIAS: Well, even if there was one, I wouldn’t answer.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: So, looking now beyond our continent Europe, there is a new change in the United States with a new administration. So, we know that Erdoğan just lost one very good friend from the White House. Does this mean for you that now the new administration will be more favorable for Greece’s interests?N. DENDIAS: Well, we are not looking for favors from the new American administration. And speaking about the friendship between President Trump and President Erdoğan, I have to say that Greece had no problems at all with Secretary Pompeo; quite the opposite. Secretary Pompeo had a huge understanding of the problems in the region and whatever he has tried to do, I think was perceived very positively from the Greek side.And the new Biden administration - we know - also has a deep knowledge in the Balkans, a deep knowledge in Southeastern Europe and they know what is the situation on the ground. So, we are looking very much forward to working with them, not because - again, I am repeating myself - we are expecting favors from them, but because working with people that know the region, know the area, would be extremely helpful in resolving the existing differences.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: Yes, we heard already, many officials and leaders say that they want to coordinate their foreign policy with the new administration in this new era of transatlantic relations. What does this mean for you?N. DENDIAS: Well, let us be frank. It is very important that the European Union and the United States are on the same page. After all, we believe in the same rules, in the same principles. So, it is very important that we come closer again and, whatever differences existed, we try to resolve those problems and move forward together. There is a deep understanding between the United States and the European Union and I have to say this is something on which we can build upon.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: And as we speak about these differences that Greece has with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean, of course we are mainly focusing on the exploration of natural resources, and we have seen that Greece has made many agreements with several players in the region, including Israel, Egypt, etc. Does this mean that Greece can move on this without Turkey? Can Turkey be excluded finally from this process?N. DENDIAS: We don’t want to exclude Turkey from anything. This is absolutely wrong. Rather exactly the opposite. We want to involve Turkey in everything, but under a set of rules. And which are those rules? The rules of International Law. Greece would love to have a cordial, mutually beneficial relation with Turkey. I think that’s the way forward for Greece, that’s the way forward for Turkey, that’s the way forward for everybody.So, we are not trying to exclude Turkey, but Turkey has to understand that in order to become a member of a huge understanding of countries that see things in the same way, they have to abide by International Law.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: And a last question about another issue, very important for the European Union, which is the Western Balkans. So, are you worried from this new veto of Bulgaria on North Macedonia, that this could put actually at risk the agreement, the Prespa Agreement that has been decided some years ago? Do you think that this is something, that Greece has to do something to save, let’s say, the European future of the region?N. DENDIAS: Well, after the Thessaloniki Agenda, Greece is a firm believer of the European prospect of the Balkan Peninsula and of course of the Western Balkans as well. And in particular, now we are speaking about North Macedonia and Albania. And being a friend also to Bulgaria and of North Macedonia, we will try to facilitate the resolution of their differences in any way we can. We believe that we have a common future together, all the countries of the Balkans. And I am sure everybody will appreciate it.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: Are you going to take any concrete initiative on that? To work as a mediator, for example?N. DENDIAS: Well, initiative maybe is a very strong word. We are friends with everybody and we are trying to be helpful towards everybody. But, again, I have to say we have to look at the big picture and the big picture is the future of the Balkans within the European Union.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: Are you going to meet your Turkish counterpart, Mr. Çavuşoğlu any time soon?N. DENDIAS: As you know, I am a very good friend of Mevlüt and of course I am going to see him and I would like to see him. Now, I haven’t seen him for a while and that is not something good, but yet again, certainly not precondition, but let’s say, the environment has to be one that this meeting would create something helpful out of it, something positive. Just to meet for social reasons, no, that’s not any way forward.E. KOUTSOKOSTA: Okay, Minister, thank you very much for this interview.N. DENDIAS: Thank you.
 |
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.mfa.gr |
