Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias expressed Greece's support for Cyprus's request for EU sanctions against Turkey from Nicosia late in the afternoon after talks with his Cypriot counterpart, Nikos Christodoulidis.
In statements after the talks, Mr. Dendias said that "Greece continues to support Cyprus firmly in its request for new registrations of persons and entities involved in the ongoing illegal activities of Turkey in the Cypriot EEZ in the European list. sanctions ".
This, after all, is the agreed European framework, he added, noting that "at the same time, it remains necessary to maintain an open perspective of imposing economic measures on Turkey in the event that Turkish delinquency continues."
"Greece has requested a list of measures, so that Turkey knows that if it continues its illegal actions, there will be consequences," Dendias said.
Our desire, of course, he stressed, remains that these measures do not need to be imposed.
For his part, Mr. Christodoulidis said that they discussed all the developments, evaluated the results of the recent Council of Foreign Ministers and exchanged views on the next steps.
He said that his Greek counterpart informed him in detail about the state of affairs in relation to the resumption of exploratory contacts between Greece and Turkey, "which we really hope, when they start to be productive and lead to positive developments", as well as the results of the recent of the US Secretary of State in Greece.
Mr. Christodoulidis said that "as two countries that really believe in the future of a strong Europe, we believe that the developments in the region will largely determine the future of Euro-Turkish relations", noting that "Turkey's behavior in the Eastern Mediterranean affects the full range of Euro-Turkish relations ".
He assured that in view of tomorrow's European Council there is full coordination in relation to the desired goal between Nicosia and Athens.
He reiterated that "our approach not only in relation to Turkey, but also to all the countries for which the EU is called upon to take decisions must be twofold, a policy of carrot and whip", while stressing the need to observe equal measures and weights.
In his statements, Mr. Dendias said that "the coordination between Greece and Cyprus is a very powerful weapon and a very good omen in view of tomorrow's European Council. "From our side, every effort will be made to achieve our common goals", he assured.
He said that Greece has noted that the withdrawal of Oruts Reyes was a first step of de-escalation.
"We hope that this step will pave the way for exploratory contacts between Greece and Turkey with the aim of delimiting the EEZ and the continental shelf," he said.
He noted that Greece has repeatedly stressed that it always remains open to dialogue, but in the context of international law and the law of the sea. It therefore remains to be seen whether this first step will be continued and there will be consistency on the Turkish side, he pointed out.
"Because as you know very well here in Cyprus, Turkey is the predominant violator of international law in our region," he said.
He stressed that no one can forget that the illegal actions of Turkish vessels in the Cypriot sea zones continue.
Referring to the Cyprus issue, he said that it is and will be a top priority of Greek foreign policy. "We continue to support the Republic of Cyprus and work to end the Turkish occupation and achieve a comprehensive agreed solution to the Cyprus problem, based on its decisions. "The Security Council and the acquis communautaire," he said
He said that today's meeting with his Cypriot counterpart took place "in the context of the ongoing Greek-Cypriot coordination at all levels in view of tomorrow's very important European Council which will be called upon to examine the whole grid of Euro-Turkish relations and will be called upon to do so." given the obligation of solidarity with the Member States of the Union, in particular where their sovereignty and sovereign rights are violated by third States ”.
"Because it is a violation of European sovereignty and European sovereign rights," he said.
He pointed out that unfortunately the Turkish delinquency in the wider region continues and in fact with escalating intensity and in an expanding area "from the Caucasus to Libya, the Aegean, Cyprus, the Eastern Mediterranean, Syria, Iraq".
Mr. Dendias said that he also briefed his Cypriot counterpart in detail on the visit of both their UAE counterpart to Greece, who will visit Cyprus tomorrow, as well as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
He pointed out that this was the second visit of the American Foreign Minister to Greece in a year and this was his sixth meeting with him.
"These visits confirm the role of both Greece and Cyprus as pillars of stability in our sensitive region. "Together with Israel and the USA, Greece and Cyprus, we are working methodically to promote the security and prosperity of the region within the framework of the 3 + 1 scheme", he noted.
He said that they also discussed the escalating tension in Nagorno-Karabakh, noting that Greece has expressed its readiness to contribute to the immediate cessation of hostilities and that he himself had the opportunity to convey this to his Armenian colleague "with whom we are cooperating." together with Nikos and in the context of the tripartite cooperation scheme ".
He also stressed that "we deplore any intervention by third parties that incites tension", adding that "Turkey must refrain from actions and statements that move in this direction" and that the peaceful settlement of disputes under international law is the only way to regional security and stability.
Mr. Dendias expressed his joy for his presence in Cyprus and because Cyprus celebrates the 60th anniversary of its independence tomorrow, noting that he addressed his heartfelt wishes and the wishes of the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for his freedom and prosperity. of Cypriot Hellenism and the entire Cypriot people.
In his statements, Mr. Christodoulidis said that "the contact and coordination is made between us and our partners on a daily basis", adding that coordination and exchange of views is daily ".
Mr. Christodoulidis noted that despite the negative developments in the region due to the behavior and approach of Turkey, there are no deadlocks in diplomacy. "Dialogue, given that there is real will and determination on the part of all - and far from gun diplomacy - can bear fruit, and we really hope that such conditions will prevail throughout the Eastern Mediterranean region that will allow dialogue and resolution any differences through it ", he stated.
"Speaking of the EU and developments, as two Member States that truly believe in the future of a strong Europe, we believe that developments in the region will largely determine the future of Euro-Turkish relations, as we have repeatedly stated in the EU "Turkey's in the Eastern Mediterranean affects the full range of Euro-Turkish relations," he said.
"I want to assure that in view of tomorrow's debate, there is full coordination in relation to the desired goal between Athens and Nicosia," he added.
He noted that "our approach, as we have repeatedly said, and not only in relation to Turkey but all the countries we are called upon to decide, must be twofold: a carrot-and-whip policy, where there can be cooperation where there really is infrastructure and will, but at the same time there is a reaction where basic EU principles and values are violated ”.
"And as the EU, as Member States, we must be consistent, decisive, credible by adhering to equal measures and weights," he said.
Regarding the Cyprus issue, he said that "we have expressed our readiness to resume talks from where they left off in Crans Montana immediately after the election process in the occupied territories. "In this context, we welcome, welcome the readiness of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to take the initiative to resume talks," he said.
"We believe that this goal is achievable, it can lead to a positive outcome on the basis of the agreed solution, if the talks take place in the right environment, as the Secretary-General of the United Nations himself calls, away from efforts to create performed either on land as we see with the enclosed city of Famagusta, or at sea with the illegal actions of Turkey. "Executed people who undoubtedly operate against the interests of the Cypriot people, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, but also in the wider region", he added.
Mr. Christodoulidis finally thanked his Greek counterpart for the support in these difficult times and for the honest and open discussion they always have.
Source: KYPE