N. Dendias: National issues should remain outside the scope of party competition

The request for national issues to remain outside the scope of party competition was addressed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias, in his statement after the briefing of the representatives of the parliamentary parties on current foreign policy issues.

“I would like, in view of our entry into the last year of the government’s term, to formulate a broader request: that national issues remain outside the field of party competition, as has been done to a large extent until now. That is, to maintain maturity and unity that has brought us here. It is right to always remember that Hellenism has historically been divided on foreign policy issues and we should remember that this year is 2022, 100 years after the national disaster of 1922. A national disaster that was largely caused by the national division” characteristically said Nikos Dendias.

In support of his message, the Minister of Foreign Affairs underlined that “we must not forget that we are facing a national threat and we can face this threat if we are united, that is, with unity among ourselves”.

In this context, he pledged that based on the instructions he has received from the Prime Minister, he will continue to serve this priority of unity and unity of the Greek people.

Regarding the successive meetings with the representatives of the parliamentary parties, in the context of the regular contacts on the major foreign policy issues, the Minister of Foreign Affairs informed in principle about the NATO summit in Madrid. He particularly focused on the new NATO strategic doctrine adopted in Madrid.

“In this strategic doctrine, special reference is made to the values ​​of International Law and good neighborliness between countries, but also in general within the framework of values ​​and principles that Greece believes in and advocates, and which, if implemented, will solve a very large series of problems in our wider region” emphasized Nikos Dendias.

Also, the Minister of Foreign Affairs provided the representatives of the parliamentary parties with copies of the agreement between Finland, Sweden and Turkey. “This agreement does not create super profits for Turkey, as appeared to be the case in a section of Greek public opinion.

On the contrary, Turkey did not achieve in this agreement either the designation of the YPG or FETO as terrorist organizations or, as could not happen, the subjection of the extradition process to a special regime beyond the European convention on extradition. Regarding the issue of participation in the PESCO programs, Greece and Cyprus have the relative possibility of veto within the framework of the European Council. Consequently, what is being said in Greece about Turkey’s super profits and triumphs do not particularly correspond to reality,” he explained. Indeed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs discussed these issues with his counterparts from Sweden and Finland, whom he met in the context of NATO Council.

Furthermore, during today’s meetings held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias discussed with the representatives of the parliamentary parties the escalation of Turkish rhetoric and the various violations on the ground, informing them of the “clearest Greek position”. In particular, the Minister of Foreign Affairs made it clear that provocation is not accepted and that our country will respond. “But beyond that, Greece is not drawn into a permanent escalation. On the contrary, it seeks de-escalation. It considers that the rhetorical outbursts from the other side of the Aegean cannot cause anything positive in Greek-Turkish relations” he underlined and explained: “Greece does not intend to follow this continuous escalation. Instead, it will have a continuous attitude of seriousness, an attitude dictated by our own faith and commitment to International Law, the International Law of the Sea, of Human Rights.”

Source: AMPE