Article by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias in the World Review special edition of Euro2day.gr and The New York Times (23.11.2021)

The international environment is changing at a rapid pace. On the one hand, correlations are changing. The United States is increasingly placing emphasis on the Indo-Pacific region, shifting its focus away from Europe. The European Union is looking for ways to strengthen its defence capabilities. New global players, such as China and India, are emerging in the Mediterranean. The traditional dividing lines in the Middle East are disappearing, especially after the agreements between Israel and Arab countries.

On the other hand, our country and all the countries in our region face the daily provocations of a revisionist Turkey. A country which threatens us with war, disregards the fundamental rules of International Law, destabilizes neighbouring countries through direct and indirect interventions and which resorts to aggressive rhetoric almost on a daily basi

The policy of Greece adapts to new circumstances with the constant guiding principle of respect for International Law. Our country is acquiring a say and a role in regional developments, addressing risks and taking advantage of the opportunities that arise.

Over the past two years, the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis has achieved tangible results. We have signed agreements on the delimitation of our Exclusive Economic Zones with Italy and Egypt, as well as a political agreement with Albania to defer the same issue to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

We reaffirm the primacy of International Law in our relations with neighbouring countries and demonstrate that it constitutes the only basis for resolving pending disputes.

At the same time, we protect the country through bilateral defence agreements, both with traditional allies, such as France and the United States, and with new partners, such as the United Arab Emirates. We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Great Britain, which includes a defence aspect.

These Agreements create an unbreakable web of understanding about the context of contemporary international relations. They also strengthen European defence and the transatlantic link.

In addition to our contractual obligations, we set up a broad network of partnerships to meet the new challenges and new threats together, whether they occur in our immediate neighbourhood or are global, such as climate change and the pandemic.

Our intention is to consolidate security and stability in our broader neighbourhood, as without them there can be no security in our country.

We act on the basis of five equally important concentric circles.

First, we build our relationships with our European partners. Relationships that were taken for granted and had been neglected for years, if not decades. There are countries where historic Greek communities lived, such as Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia or Armenia, with which close ties bind us.

We consolidate our traditionally friendly relations with countries in the Middle East, starting with Egypt and Israel. At the same time, we build bridges with the Arab world, from Oman to Morocco through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Tunisia and other countries. We attach special importance to the stabilization of fragile states such as Libya.

We support, both politically and in practice, the European perspective of the Western Balkans; on the one hand because Greece, being the first country in the region to join the European family, should set the example, on the other hand because we should contain the penetration of other powers which seek to revive empires of the past.

We invest in what has now become a special relationship with the United States, a relationship which, following the recent Agreement, has entered a new, unique era of harmony and strategic dialogue.

Finally, we maintain and strengthen our relations with the permanent members of the Security Council, with which we share historical, economic and cultural ties, such as Russia and China. We develop relationships with countries that share the same values we do, such as the world’s largest democracy, India, Australia, and sub-Saharan Africa, such as Rwanda, a model country for social and economic reconstruction, and Ghana, the first state to emerge following decolonization.

We have confirmed with our efforts that Greece is not the problematic and bankrupt partner, but a bridge between Europe, Asia and Africa, as well as an oasis of security and prosperity in a troubled region.

Demonstrating confidence and trust in Greece being a country of creation and development, of expanded alliances and collaborations, we will move forward in order to tackle the challenges of the 21st century.