JOURNALIST: Minister, let me begin with your visit to Mariupol and Sartana and the impression you gained. What role will Greece seek to play regarding the Ukraine issue and what are the balances that need to be maintained?
N. DENDIAS: The Greek presence in the wider Black Sea region has a centuries-old history. Today in Mariupol, in the villages and towns around it, live approximately 120,000 Diaspora Greeks. In the course of my recent visit, the first one in this region, but the second in Ukraine, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with representatives of the Greek communities but, above all, to assure them of Greece’s and the Greek government’s interest in their well-being. Let me remind you that in July 2021 I visited Odessa, a city with a centuries-old Greek presence as well, which occupies an important place in the history of our country.
As regards the wider Mariupol area, the issue of security may be dominant at this stage – let us not forget that these communities are located only a few kilometers from the areas of tension and, in fact, during the hostilities of 2014, they mourned victims, to the memory of whom I paid tribute during my stay there – however, they also face problems regarding their daily living conditions, including health care. The Mitsotakis government will stand by their side. A first step in this direction is the strengthening of the Consulate General in Mariupol. For us, these communities, as well as the corresponding ones on the other side of the border, in the southern part of Russia, constitute vibrant islands of Hellenism but also important bridges of culture and communication with the wider region and its peoples.
As for the second part of your question, we have made it clear from the beginning and in every direction – and I have recently stated it, once again, to my Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba – that we support the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states in accordance with the principles of International Law and the United Nations Charter. I took note of the fact that my Ukrainian counterpart has asked me to convey the message of the need for de-escalation to the Russian side, with which, as is well known, we maintain frequent contact. Greece supports the de-escalation of tensions in the region, maintaining all the while open channels of communication with all parties involved.
We consider Russia to be a fundamental and integral part of the European security architecture and that is why we insist that channels of communication need to remain open. This is not about “maintaining balances”. It is known to which Alliance we belong. It is an essential choice of ours to talk to everyone, always on the basis of International Law.
JOURNALIST: What is the next step in relations with Washington? Was the non paper on the EastMed pipeline a cause of worry for you?
N. DENDIAS: The systematic efforts undertaken by both the government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to deepen relations with the United States are now yielding tangible results.
Following the particularly important signing of the second amendment to the Mutual Defence Cooperation Agreement between Greece and the USA (MDCA), the primary aspiration of the Mitsotakis government is to build further on the upgrading of Greece’s strategic relationship with a traditional ally. Meaning, to capitalize to the maximum extent on the benefits of this agreement for our country.
These important developments, combined with the exemplary cooperation between our country and the USA within the framework of the 3 + 1 format (Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the USA), constitute also an acknowledgement of the role that Greece now plays as regards the stability of the wider region. Finally, with regard to the EastMed pipeline, I would like to emphasize once again that it is not a question of geopolitics. Developments on this issue are primarily related to the economic viability and the technical feasibility of the project, as well as to its impact on the environment.
I would also like to welcome the fact that the European Commission announced last week that it would finance the Euro-Asia Interconnector, that is, the electricity interconnection between Greece, Cyprus and Israel. An announcement, which was warmly received by the USA as well.
JOURNALIST: Turkey insists on its provocations, it even threatens to intervene using the issue of terrorism as a pretext. Are you worried about the possibility of new tensions?
N. DENDIAS: First of all, it is obvious that there has been no fundamental change in Turkey’s policy of provocations against Greece. Unfortunately, Ankara maintains its aggressive rhetoric regarding the threat to the sovereignty and sovereign rights of our country under various pretexts, even the pretext of “terrorism”, as you rightly said, which you will allow me to describe as an allegation that defies any notion of reason and is utterly unfounded. At the same time, Turkey, in its effort to once again disguise its policy, calls for dialogue.
I repeat, Greece’s position is clear: we seek dialogue, exclusively within the framework of International Law and the International Law of the Sea; not a dialogue on irrational, illegal demands. We do not give in to threats, and under no circumstances do we accept fait accomplis. These are the premises underlying the way we act and will act in our future steps in the context of our bilateral engagements with Turkey.
JOURNALIST: You stated in Parliament that Athens is not worried about Turkey’s contacts with countries that are allies of Greece. What impact can Ankara’s efforts to normalize its relations with countries in the region have?
N. DENDIAS: Turkey found itself alienated from a large part of the Near East, having created and sustaining conflicts in the Eastern Mediterranean, the South Caucasus, Syria and Libya. And continuing to maintain occupation forces in the northern part of Cyprus. Greece on its part is systematically working to build a shared understanding with states in the region, with the aim of enhancing safety and stability. Adding to existing alliances and partnerships, we established new ones, on the basis of respect for International Law and the International Law of the Sea.
For this reason, it is our hope and wish for Turkey to talk with those countries that believe, like we do, that International Law is the basis on which differences between states should be resolved. After all, we have no reason to feel insecure by the fact that Turkey is talking with our partners. We are a confident country, we have trust in our positions and principles. Every single day we prove that Greece has a say and a role in international affairs, in the name of concrete principles that serve not only our national interests but also universal values.
Our policy is not conditioned by the alliances and aspirations of our neighbouring country. And we do not want Turkey to be excluded from our region’s security architecture. We want its integration into it under the terms of International Law.
JOURNALIST: Greece is making its presence felt in the Balkans, as does Ankara. What are your plans for the coming period, and with regard to the European perspective of the region? Are you worried about recent developments?
N. DENDIAS: Being the oldest EU member state in the region, Greece perceives its position in the Balkans not as a ‘sentence’ imposed by geography, but as a factor of stability and prosperity, as well as a model for the European perspective of the Western Balkans. Because becoming part of the large European family, of the most successful supranational project in the history of humankind, is the only way for the region to move forward. And it is also the key to regional stability that is currently being tested, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where developments are indeed a cause of concern to us. This is the message we are constantly communicating to our partners in the EU, but also to our interlocutors from the region. I recently met with the Kosovar Minister of Foreign Affairs, I visited Croatia, the Prime Minister talked with his counterpart from North Macedonia and in the coming period there will be yet more meetings and contacts.
We therefore call on the countries of the region to remain committed to their EU path and to turn their backs on the forces of isolation, destabilization and the revival of neo-ottomanism, which promote extremist ideologies and drive the Western Balkans away from Europe.
JOURNALIST: The campaign for the election of Greece to the UN Security Council gave rise to contacts “out of the box”, and at the same time we see you placing emphasis on the relations with African countries as well. What does this mean for the country’s diplomatic relations and to what extent did Turkey’s aggression also contribute to these diplomatic openings and the search for new alliances?
N. DENDIAS: Indeed, in recent months Greek diplomacy has worked systematically to promote our country’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2025-2026 term. There are already 97 countries that have pledged in writing to support our election. This is an acknowledgement of Greece’s role as a factor of peace and a pillar of stability in a difficult region. An acknowledgement of our commitment to International Law and the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes. Principles that are enshrined in the United Nations Charter. It is our intention, eight decades after its adoption and at a time when these principles are being challenged, to bring them to the foreground.
Our openings to countries of sub-Saharan Africa are not limited to promoting Greece’s candidacy for the UN Security Council, nor, of course, are they a response to the activities of other countries.
They are a strategic choice of ours, as Africa is the continent with the largest economic and population growth in the world. We want to strengthen our diplomatic footprint in the region, building on the strong presence of the Greek Diaspora with its historical communities. So, following my recent visits to Rwanda, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and Angola, I will soon travel to Senegal for the opening of our Embassy there. Similar diplomatic openings will follow to countries of South America, Asia and Oceania.
JOURNALIST: Reforming the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, what will that signify for the citizens and for diplomacy?
N. DENDIAS: You give me the opportunity to refer to this important issue, although it does not catch the public eye. First of all, taking advantage of technological advancements, we wish to proceed with the digitization of procedures and services to citizens, especially Diaspora Greeks, who are served by our Consular Missions. As the pandemic persists and with distance barriers being enormous in many cases, we should facilitate the access of citizens to consular services, through fast and in most cases remote communication. Our goal is to limit the need for the citizens’ physical presence in the Consular Missions to the issuance of only a small number of acts.
We seek to speed up procedures. The era when correspondence was carried exclusively by diplomatic bag and one had to wait for weeks or even months to get a certificate should be made a thing of the past. We also make easier procedures within the country, for example by abolishing the translation service. Citizens are now able to choose among certified translators and deal directly with them.
At the same time, however, we need to modernize the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to meet the challenges of today. There are several initiatives in this regard, but let me outline just three of them:
Firstly, present-day and future diplomats are not meant to address only purely political issues. Modern diplomats should promote Greek exports and be able to promote the positions of our country in public. That is why I spoke in Parliament about unifying the various branches in the Ministry.
Secondly, strategic planning on a multi-annual basis. Foreign policy should be implemented on a planned basis, not on an ad hoc basis. Ambassadors assuming their duties should have specific goals; they should not make things up as they go; and they should be evaluated on the basis of their performance with regard to these goals.
Thirdly, public diplomacy. The validity of our positions is obvious. But, today more than ever, in an era of fake news and disinformation, we should be able to promote our positions in a comprehensible way. Unfortunately, in this area, not only are we lagging behind, but the gap we are leaving is being exploited by other countries, for their own benefit and at the expense of our own national interests.
