ATHENS – Greece rejects the logic according to which the pursuit of a policy based on the threat of use of force and of war can constitute a strong negotiating argument, wrote Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias in an article he penned for the Greek edition of ‘The Economist’ magazine, published with ‘Ta Nea’ newspaper.

Continuing, Dendias added that Greece also rejects the logic that the rhetoric of provocations and the formulation of extreme revisionist positions can be a springboard to satisfy any geostrategic ambition, as it is devoid of any concept of respect for International Law.

Outlining the challenges associated with Greece’s position in the Eastern Mediterranean region, Dendias emphasized that, at their core, lies Turkey’s systematic policy of disputes and of claims against Greece’s territorial sovereignty and sovereign rights.

“We are facing the progressive escalation of an unprecedented revisionist rhetoric, facing a permanent strategy for the reversal of reality on the part of Turkey,” he wrote, mentioning Turkey’s illegal and non-existent agreements, such as the two ‘memoranda’ with Libya, “which complicate an already complex situation.”

An important aspect of the Greek-Turkish confrontation, Dendias pointed out, is the Cyprus issue, and resolving it is a top priority for Greek foreign policy, he underlined.

Here, Dendias expressed his support for the achievement of a just and sustainable solution based on Resolutions of the UN Security Council and compatible with the European acquis, “a solution for the creation of a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation,” he noted.

Dendias also warned of the potential impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the Eastern Mediterranean: “In 2022, the international community was faced with a previously unimaginable reality for the 21st century, that is war on European soil. The effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the Eastern Mediterranean affect the correlations of forces that develop in the region, and which can overturn fragile balances,” he pointed out.