“It is vital that there be a shared outlook with the European partners on Turkey’s role and its relations with Europe, so that we can draw common conclusions,” stressed Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis in an interview on Parapolitika 90.1, with journalist Panagiatios Tzenos, regarding the Borrell report, noting that it sets the agenda Greece wants and shows Turkey two paths: that of cooperation or of moving away from Europe.
Ahead of the European Council Meeting on 25 and 26 March, Mr. Varvitsiotis pointed out that “it is important that we all understand the same things in the same way, such as what happened in Evros last year, what happened over the summer and last September in the Southeastern Mediterranean and in the Greek EEZ. As well as to understand the messages and the framework of rhetoric being broadcast by Ankara against our country.” Regarding the Borrell report, he noted that it shows Turkey two paths from which to choose: either the path of cooperation, avoiding provocations, or the path away from Europe, which leads to sanctions rather than cooperation. He also added that Turkey needs to prove that its avoidance of provocative and unilateral actions and its return to dialogue are not transitory or occasional, but permanent and ongoing.
On the migration issue, the Alternate Minister underscored the need for Turkey to implement its 2016 Joint Statement with the EU regarding the returns of migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected. Finally, regarding the five-party meeting on the Cyprus issue, he stated that Greece’s firm position is that any solution must be in accordance with the framework of the UN resolutions, adding that the UN has never spoken of partitioning the island.
