Athens, 25 November 2020

Teleconference of Chairman of Standing Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs with Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee of Italian House of Representatives

 The Chairman of the Standing Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr. Konstantinos Gioulekas, met via teleconference with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Italian House of Representatives, Mr. Piero Fassino. The teleconference was held by initiative of Mr. Gioulekas, in the framework of exchanging views with his counterparts on recent developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the role of Turkey in the wider region. 

Mr. Gioulekas briefed Mr. Fassino on the ongoing Turkish aggresiveness in recent months, starting last February, when an informal dissolution of the Greek, and by extension European, land borders, was attempted in the Evros region, with the influx of thousands of migrants and continuing to this day, intensified, with the Turkish research vessel “Oruc Reis” sailing in waters overlapping the Greek continental shelf and on occasion the Greek territorial waters.

Mr. Gioulekas pointed out to his Italian counterpart that Turkey's actions to use refugees and migrants as tools in order to ensure multiple benefits from Europe, show an utter lack of respect for human rights and International Law. He furthermore underlined that Turkey does not shy away from using the threat of war and making illegal unilateral claims, adding that with its aggressive actions against Greece and Cyprus  it is undermining any chances of easing tensions. Nevertheless, Greece, he stressed, is committed to dialogue in good faith, always in line with the rules of International Law and the Law of the Sea and is attempting, in a sobering and decisive manner to stave off Turkey's provocative stance. 

Summing up, Mr. Gioulekas underlined that a clear message needs to be delivered to Turkey in the upcoming European Council in December, that, unless it complies by the rules of International Law, the EU, united, will stand against it. 

Mr. Fassino said that Turkey, by pursuing a hegemonic, neo-ottoman policy and by engaging in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Nagorno Karabakh, is trying to impose its influence from Libya all the way to the Caucasus, and by doing so is destabilizing this fragile region. In his view, the Turkish President, following his defeat in many big cities in the municipal elections, is trying to address his internal difficulties and deal with his political opponents by means of an aggressive foreign policy. 

The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Italian House of Representatives added that the show of power by Erdogan in Varosha in Famagusta, following the election of the new President in the occupied territoty, is an indication of that tactic. The Italian MP agreed with Mr. Gioulekas that Turkey is taking advantage of the migration crisis to put pressure on Europe and pointed out that only a new common European policy can provide an answer. 

The two Chairpersons thereupon discussed the perspective of the accession of the Western Balkans into the EU and agreed that their integration into the European family is to everyone's benefit, while Mr. Gioulekas noted that steps need to be taken by the Western Balkan countries to address corruption, as well as to respect the rights of minorities. They expressed their satisfaction vis-à-vis the Agreement on the delimitation of the EEZ between Italy and Greece, an agreement which has been ratified by the Hellenic Parliament and will be ratified by the Italian House of Representatives on 18 December 2020. Finally, the two Chairpersons agreed to soon hold a joint committee meeting, since they feel that cooperation between Italy and Greece must be reinforced in order to promote the common goals and values. 

 

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