Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, interviewed by Turkish newspaper Hurriyet ahead of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Athens on Friday, expressed his vision of “a neighborhood of lasting peace and prosperity between our people.”
“We have built a level of trust, step by step, enabling honest discussions and the prevention of crises,” Gerapetritis noted.
The Greek foreign minister went on to say: “We believe in dialogue and the peaceful resolution of disputes on the basis of international law and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states. We can have a meaningful discussion on the delimitation of the continental shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone in a coordinated manner, with mutual constructive understanding.”
The delimitation of the continental shelf and the EEZ is the one and only dispute between Greece and Turkey, which can be brought before international jurisdiction, Gerapetritis remarked, while clarifying that “the national sovereignty of states cannot be the subject of debate or international jurisdiction.”
In response to a question about Greece’s armament efforts, Gerapetritis explained: “The wider region is currently affected by two wars, and under these circumstances, it is our duty to ensure the defensive readiness and deterrent strength of our country. Our goal is to make sure we never have to use these defense capabilities, because if we do, it would mean that our diplomacy has failed.’”
The Greek foreign minister also underlined that Greece has consistently supported Turkey’s EU accession prospects, adding that the improvement in Greek-Turkish relations is already fostering better conditions for addressing the Cyprus issue.
