“There will be absolutely no consequences in terms of implementing the illegal Turkish-Libyan memorandum. It will not be implemented, for the simple reason that it produces no legal effects, as it is wholly contrary to international law,” Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said in an interview with radio station Meganews 104,6 today.
The foreign minister said “at this point Turkey and Libya are choosing to make an agreement that falls outside the framework, and are accepting whatever consequences that action may bring”.
As for those consequences, he said “Greece will activate its own mechanisms so that the memorandum can also be denounced.
The memorandum will not be implemented under any circumstances, even if it had not been ratified; it still would not have been implemented,” he said.
Following yesterday’s ratification of the illegal Turkish-Libyan memorandum by the Libyan parliament, Mr Gerapetritis stressed that, at the first level, “the strongest possible response was mobilised: within just a few hours, we had statements from the president of the European Commission and the president of the European Council”.
He added that “more statements will follow, because Greece has mobilised all its allies and partners. There will therefore be unanimous support on this issue and condemnation of the memorandum”.
At a second level, the foreign minister said, “Greece is currently able to take very substantive steps to prevent the invalid memorandum from being implemented in practice, in any event.
All of Libya’s financing protocols pass through Greece, as does the peacekeeping mission in Libya. Turkey’s path to accession to the European Union also passes through Greece.
Greece is the gateway that currently opens the way for anyone to establish a presence in international forums,” he said.
On criticism that this was a failure, the foreign minister said “it was not in Greece’s hands to prevent it”, adding that “ratification adds absolutely no value, either theoretical or practical.
Those who talk about national defeats and so on should be very careful about how they express themselves,” he said.
Asked whether the latest development could hasten an extension of territorial waters south of Crete, Mr Gerapetritis said “Greece does not react impulsively, but acts according to a plan, primarily to serve its national interests. That is a fundamental difference from what happened in previous decades.
Heaven forbid we should be guided by how Libya and Turkey view their own relationship, or allow it to influence our strategy.
Greece will extend its territorial waters. It is a right stemming from its sovereignty and international law, but it will do so in the manner and at the time the Greek state itself chooses,” he said pointedly.
On Egypt’s position, Mr Gerapetritis described the relationship as strategic and fraternal, built not only on the agreement on the partial delimitation of the exclusive economic zone but also on a strategic foundation.
“I have absolute confidence in our shared understanding, which was reaffirmed in yesterday’s communications.
It is clear that the question of extending the existing agreement will also be discussed in the future.
It is something we will discuss in due course, once we have assessed it,” he said.
On Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s demands that Turkey be notified in writing about work on the GSI, Mr Gerapetritis made clear that “Greece is the only country whose permission will be required, and permission has already been requested for the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection”.
He added that “once Greece has granted authorisation, it may be possible to provide information about the survey and the laying of the cable, with the clear proviso that this is not an authorisation procedure”.
Asked how Greece would respond if Turkey tried, manu militari, to prevent the vessel involved in the cable project from passing, Mr Gerapetritis said Greece was prepared for any possible scenario.
“As I understand it, there is no indication that Turkey intends to react in that way.
And it would be better if it did not, given that this is not a Greek project.
It is a project that involves French interests and has European funding,” he said pointedly, adding that “you cannot threaten a project with a European orientation while at the same time wanting to become part of the European family”.
No change to the timetable
Asked whether recent developments might lead to a change in the timetable for the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection project, Mr Gerapetritis said “we do not act opportunistically or on a case-by-case basis.
Those days are over.
We have a very specific plan.
That plan is about defending our country’s interests, increasing its geopolitical footprint and strengthening its international position.
We are doing this systematically, professionally and consistently.
In this way, we have forged alliances that are inextricably linked and very strong.
We have strengthened our defences and now have a strong voice in all international forums.”
He added that, at present, “Greece has the strongest voice internationally.
It does not let others determine its course, nor does any particular set of circumstances determine its foreign policy.”
Responding to Mr Fidan’s claims that Greece is raising tensions with Turkey for domestic reasons and because it cannot shoulder the political cost, Mr Gerapetritis said the first thing Mr Fidan should do was criticise Turkish policy, since Greece is the one that has always sought to resolve disputes under international law.
He recalled that Greece, unlike Turkey, had signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
He also drew particular attention to the fact that, over the past year or two, it has been the Turkish media putting pressure on the Turkish government.
“I see a general escalation in the highly hostile rhetoric towards Greece in the Turkish media.
I constantly see reports pressuring the Turkish government to become even more aggressive,” he said, stressing that Greece follows an independent, autonomous and self-sufficient compass in its foreign policy.
Asked about the harsh criticism he had faced from former prime minister Antonis Samaras, Mr Gerapetritis said Mr Samaras was, unsurprisingly, driven by deep-seated intolerance and should himself have been the first to condemn the Turkish-Libyan memorandum.
“We had all the European institutions, the highest authorities in Europe, coming out to condemn the Turkish-Libyan agreement, while Mr Samaras was condemning the Greek government.
This shows that we are not motivated here by any national ideals, but by political hostility that has nothing to do with the country’s interests,” he said.
On criticism of the government’s handling of the case of US ambassador to Athens Kimberly Guilfoyle, Mr Gerapetritis asked whether Greece should have reacted to the appointment, or the withdrawal of an appointment, involving a foreign embassy.
He recalled that the Greek government had maintained an open channel of communication with the embassy, which worked in the country’s interests and helped secure excellent energy cooperation, excellent trade cooperation and cooperation in international organisations.
He said what mattered to Greece was a relationship with the US based on equality, adding that “we are equal partners in this discussion”.
He made clear that there had been no threat to Greece and that, just as it had rightly worked with the former ambassador, it would do so with the current one.
“What we need to keep in mind, and what matters, is whether our national position is strengthened by the Greek-American relationship. The reality is that Greece’s position has been substantially enhanced,” he concluded.
SOURCE: AMNA