Statement by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias following the briefing of representatives of Parliamentary Parties (Athens, 29. 07. 2021)

I had today a series of meetings with the representatives of Parliamentary parties except for KINAL. I will meet with Mr. Loverdos next week, due to pre-arranged commitments he had today.

These discussions are held in the context of regular contacts with the parties on foreign policy issues, in line with the instructions of Prime Minister, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

I referred to the recent developments in the Cyprus issue in the light of Turkish illegal declarations on Varosha.

As you know, there was intensive diplomatic action last week on this issue and, in fact, in close coordination with the Cypriot side, with the President, Mr. Nicos Anastasiades, and with my counterpart, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides.

Besides, the Prime Minister spoke extensively about this issue yesterday in his contacts with the President of Cyprus and the King of Jordan.

Our goal was the condemnation of Turkish actions both within the UN and the Security Council, as well as at European Union level.

And this goal, I can say, was achieved despite the reservations expressed by some states. It is important that countries such as the US, Russia, China, India, France, Ireland unequivocally condemned the Turkish declarations.

It has also become clear that if Turkey continues its infringing conduct there will be consequences.

In fact, the Greek side, through a letter that, following my instructions, was delivered to the UN Secretary General, refuted the unsound arguments of the Turkish side with regard to the militarization of the islands in the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.

At the same time, the destabilizing role of Turkey in our wider region was underlined; starting with the unacceptable casus belli. Turkey is the only country in the world that has issued a threat of war against another country, if, in fact, this country exercises its lawful rights.

Turkey must, at last, realize that it cannot behave as if we were in the 18th or 19th century. It must acknowledge that we live in the 21st century; that the Ottoman Empire has ceased to exist for 100 years; and that respect for International Law and the Law of the Sea is a fundamental principle guiding relations between all states.

And let me say that such an acknowledgement is also in the interest of Turkish society, a large part of which, I think, shares these positions.