Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis’ speech in Parliament (Athens, 12.10.2022)

Lastly, as far as the migration issue is concerned, Mr. Varvitsiotis stated that we are determined not to turn Greece “from a country into a transit area”.As regards the non-inclusion of the Menendez amendments in the US 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Mr. Varvitsiotis criticized those who celebrate a development that does not serve our national interests, which he said is surprising. He went on to say that they are unaware of how the US legislative system operates, as it is a long process that is not “the end of the road” and may be completed after the US mid-term elections.
In addition, the Alternate Minister underscored that including Greek-Turkish relations in the Turkish election agenda does not favor either the reduction of tension on the ground or the good climate we are pursuing. On the contrary, he emphasized the importance of Greeks remaining united in the face of Turkey’s provocative conduct and keeping Greek-Turkish issues out of the election debate. “It is the only prudent way to stop Ankara’s revisionism, which is offensive, dangerous, and deepens the gap in the functioning of the security environment in the Eastern Mediterranean”, he pointedly said.
The Alternate Minister also stated that our national interests are aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). “This is our shield and guide for settling our differences at sea and it is in our strategic interest to strengthen its position in the global legal system with strong tools”, he noted. He recalled that Greece has proceeded with the delimitation of its EEZ with neighboring states and the extension of its territorial waters in the Ionian Sea in accordance with the UNCLOS. “Therefore, our country should not be an ‘a la carte guest’ in its arrangements,” he said.
In particular, the Alternate Minister stated that Greeks trust Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ handling of national issues in all international fora, as was demonstrated both in Prague and in the US, making Mr. Erdogan irritated and worried. “In Prague, Turkey demonstrated that it is not willing to be an integral part of the Western security system and this should be of concern to us”, Mr. Varvitsiotis said, adding that the emergence of Alexandroupoli as a port of particular strategic importance for NATO has also irritated the Turkish side because its own role is being bypassed.
Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis’ speech in Parliament on the “Ratification of the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the International Seabed Authority” and the “Ratification of the Strategic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Canada, of the other part” – main points (Athens, 12.10.2022)
“Greece responds with calm and determination to Turkey’s unprecedented provocative conduct by expanding its strategic alliances on all fronts and adopting an unprecedented armament program thanks to Greek people’s sacrifices”, emphasized Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, speaking today at the plenary session of the Parliament during the debate on the draft laws on the “Ratification of the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the International Seabed Authority” and the “Ratification of the Strategic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Canada, of the other part”.

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