JOURNALIST: Well I ‘m joined now by the Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias in Athens. Thanks very much for coming onto Euronews Now. Tensions between your two countries seem to have eased, didn’t that exchange set them back, and how do you propose repairing relations now?
N. DENDIAS: I wouldn’t necessarily subscribe to the deterioration of our relations. This open exchange with my friend Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Foreign Minister of Turkey, was an exchange that set the record straight. I repeated what the Greek positions on issues [are], that are crystal clear. And at the same time, I had submitted to the Turks an agenda, an economic agenda of 14-15 points, which, if accepted – and I think they have already accepted to look at it – will start moving our relations in a better climate. But yet again, trying to make our relations better does not mean that Greece should not repeat what constitutes its long-time positions on issues of International Law and International Law of the Sea. And also, allow me to say, I am not speaking about contested issues, it’s just black and white.
JOURNALIST: But it was a very public spat, wasn’t it? And yet I read that you get on well and the two of you then went out to dinner afterwards. Now, is that true? And if so, shouldn’t those sorts of disagreements have been aired in private and not in public like that?
N. DENDIAS: Well, I have to say, it is not something that I wanted to happen. I just repeated what is known to the Turkish side, the long-standing Greek positions. Especially on issues of International Law, on which – if I may be allowed to say – there cannot be many opinions. Something is legal or illegal; something abides with International Law or it does not abide with International Law. Having said that, of course we had a very nice dinner with my friend Mevlut Cavusoglu, an iftar dinner, which is what follows a day of Ramadan in the Muslim societies. And I am glad for participating in that dinner.
JOURNALIST: It is good to hear you went to dinner. On the substantive issues then, you have repeated the accusations against Turkey in terms of violating rights. Now, Turkey denies that it denies your rights in the Aegean. It has proposed a summit on maritime activity, do you think that is a good idea?
N. DENDIAS: Well, first of all, denial is one thing, the truth is another. What I spoke about is something that cannot be contested. Four hundred overflights over Greek territory. There is not any clause in any international convention or in International Law that allows fighter planes from one state to fly over the territory of another state. Having said that, we have no problem with discussing with Turkey, we would like to move our relations forward. But you see, we have a problem there: in order to solve an exercise, we have to abide by the same rules. And the rules in the international community are crystal clear; it is International Law and the International Law of the Sea. If we move with the same rules, we will solve this exercise, and, if I may say so, it is rather easy. But what is happening with Turkey is that Turkey does not accept those rules. It is like solving, in school, an exercise, and one is using Euclidian geometry, in which parallels exist, and the other side uses elliptical geometry, in which parallels do not exist. You cannot solve that exercise together. So, in order for us to solve our differences with Turkey, there is one golden rule: that Turkey should accept and abide by International Law, accept and abide by UNCLOS, the Convection on the International Law of the Sea, which by the way is part of the European acquis. Then, I think, we can very easily move forward. And, allow me to say, that the Mitsotakis government in Greece would like that.
JOURNALIST: The problem is that you are tackling these substantive issues, but the rhetoric is being cranked up it seems. We have Mario Draghi as well, describing President Erdogan as a dictator. Now, does that help progress be made?
N. DENDIAS: Well, I’m not the one that is going to make comments on Prime Minister Draghi’s characterization. What I’m saying is that under the leadership of Prime Minister Mitsotakis, Greece is trying to find common ground with Turkey. But that common ground has to have a solid basis. And that solid basis is International Law and International Law of the Sea. And if I may say so, that will be extremely helpful for both societies, because what Greece is looking forward to is an amicable future with Turkey, the Turks and the Turkish society. We are close neighbors, we can do a lot together, but this needs a very solid basis.
JOURNALIST: Let’s take another issue then concerning international law, and that’s migration. There is an agreement here. Now, Turkey says it has behaved decently and it accuses Greece of pushing back thousands, tens of thousands of migrants over the last few years. We’ve got the summer coming up and do you anticipate more problems here?
N. DENDIAS: Well, I have to say that after March and February 2020 in which tens of thousands of migrants were pushed towards the Greek border by Turkey in order to apply pressure to the European Union, Turkey is in no position to dictate to us or give us lessons on human rights protection. And I would not go any further to that, exactly because, as you said before, what we are looking forward to is not a deterioration of our relations with Turkey. But let’s set the record straight. I think everybody remembers the pictures of March and February 2020.
JOURNALIST: On the migration issue, what more help can the EU give Greece?
N. DENDIAS: Well, lots of things can be done. The first, of all, is the recognition by everybody that migration is a pan-European problem and it needs pan-European answers. And of course, we need the cooperation of Turkey, as we need the cooperation of neighboring states. And apart from Turkey, we have to appreciate the efforts of countries like Egypt, that try to solve the problem without asking for money from the European Union and without trying to apply pressure or even blackmail the European Union.
JOURNALIST: Just finally Minister, Greece is opening up to tourism amid the pandemic. Are you confident that you can do this in a way that is safe for visitors and for Greek people?
N. DENDIAS: Well, we will only do it if this is safe for the Greek society and is safe for our friends and visitors that come to spend their vacations with us. But I have to say that the way that Greece has dealt with the pandemic is exemplary. And please allow me to say just one more word, one more phrase. There is no way that Greece would have opened, if we were not absolutely sure that we can protect the health of our citizens and the health of our visitors.
JOURNALIST: Nikos Dendias, Greek Foreign Minister, thanks very much for your time, for joining us on Euronews now.
