At the meeting between Foreign Minister GGeorge Gerapetritis and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, on the sidelines of the Summit of the (SEECP), the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lana Zohiou.

As she noted, Mr. Gerapetritis emphasized to his Turkish counterpart that “unwarranted tension has arisen” in Greece and Turkey, due to media leaks regarding a pending bill on the Blue Homeland.

“He reiterated that unilateral actions contrary to international law are being taken, on matters for which international law explicitly requires or provides that there must be a bilateral consultation, lacking any legal basis whatsoever, and therefore do not produce any legal effects,” Ms. Zohiou emphasized.

“Regarding the bill currently in the works—based on leaks—I will reiterate that once it is published and we have a complete picture, we will respond accordingly. After all, we are preparing for all possible scenarios and are not complacent,” she emphasized.

What was discussed at the Gerapetritis – Fidan

During the Gerapetritis-Fidan meeting, topics discussed included, among others, the state of transatlantic relations ahead of the NATO Summit in July, regional developments, with an emphasis on the situation in the broader Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as developments regarding the Cyprus issue. The two ministers also discussed issues of bilateral interest and agreed to keep channels of communication open.

European Parliament Report

Regarding the report by the European Parliament, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “it accurately reflects the current situation in Turkey.”

When asked about the issue of the territorial sea, she pointed out that “it concerns Greece exclusively; it is an inalienable right of a sovereign state derived from international law, which Greece has declared that it will exercise at a time and place of its choosing”.

NATO Summit

Regarding the upcoming NATO summit, he noted that no new meeting has been scheduled, as far as the Foreign Minister is concerned, and that there are no official arrangements regarding a visit by a U.S. official to Greece, as she noted in response to related questions.

When asked about a statement by Kaya Kallas that they are trying to strike a balance with Turkey, Ms. Zohiou noted that Greece also wants “absolute stability and calm, but part of that balance must necessarily be that it does not threaten EU member states with war and, as a candidate country, aligns itself with the EU’s foreign policy choices.”

““Both the conclusions of the European Council and the relevant reports of the European Parliament are absolutely clear and beyond dispute,” she emphasized.

Greece remains ready to contribute constructively to the Cyprus issue

Ms. Zohiou also referred to Mr. Gerapetritis’s meeting with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Cyprus, María Ángela Olguín Cuellar, following her meetings with the President of the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot leader.

“Mr. Gerapetritis expressed Greece’s support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to find a comprehensive, fair, and sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue, based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation and within the framework of the decisions and resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the European acquis,” he noted. Furthermore, he added, the minister stressed the importance of maintaining the momentum and dynamism that has been built up regarding the Cyprus issue over the past two-plus years.

“Greece, in concert with the Republic of Cyprus, remains ready to contribute constructively to the next steps, with the aim of restarting the talks, based on the agreed framework, under the auspices of the UN,” he noted.

He noted that “the unacceptable demand for a ‘two-state solution’ does not help efforts to find a viable and fair solution to the Cyprus problem and, of course, will not be accepted for one very simple reason: it falls outside the framework of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, as the UN Secretary-General has, moreover, stated.”

Regarding the expanded informal meeting, he noted that relevant announcements will be made by the United Nations.

UN Security Council Emergency Meeting on Gaza

At the request of Greece and with the support of all elected member states of the UN Security Council, an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council will be held today regarding the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian issue, Ms. Zohiou noted.

“In her statement, Greece’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Aglaia Balta, is expected to reiterate that Greece’s priority remains the alleviation of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza through the massive, unimpeded, and unconditional provision of humanitarian aid to civilians in the region,” she emphasized.

“It is essential to move forward with and fully implementthe second phase of the peace plan based on UN Security Council Resolution 2803,” he noted, reiterating Greece’s long-standing position that “peace in the region is possible only through the revival of a credible political process and the creation of a clear political horizon for the Palestinians, which will lead to the two-state solution, which is supported by the overwhelming majority of the international community that desires a Middle East where its inhabitants can live in peace and dignity.”

“Greece, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, has a duty to raise and bring to the fore issues of concern to the global community, especially when these issues affect its broader neighborhood and regional stability,” he noted, emphasizing that one of Greece’s priorities during its presidency of the Security Council was the protection of civilians in armed conflicts.

“The humanitarian crisis in Gaza rages on. We consider it imperative to raise issues that we believe deserve the attention of the international community.”

The main concern is the unconditional restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Iran. “We congratulate all those who contributed to this particularly significant diplomatic development. This is a significant opportunity to restore regional stability and strengthen the global economy,” said Ms. Zohiou. “The next step is to finalize negotiations on the specific aspects of the agreement and ensure its swift, full, and effective implementation.”

“The main priority is the unconditional restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the continuation of efforts to consolidate sustainable peace, security, and regional stability.”

Greece’s Priority: Delineating the EEZ with Libya

Regarding the meeting between Mr. Gerapetritis and the deputy commander of the General Command of the Libyan National Army, Saddam Haftar, during his first visit to Athens, Ms. Zohiou noted that “it reaffirms the shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation and channels of communication with Eastern Libya”.

The meeting took place in a positive atmosphere, and the main topics of discussion were economic cooperation and the promotion of investments in sectors, such as the energy and construction sectors, the direct Benghazi-Athens flight connection, and the mutual desire to upgrade cooperation in the transportation sector.

Regarding irregular migration, “they agreed to work together with the aim of reducing the flows to Crete and Gavdos,” he noted, adding that they discussed the importance of continuing training programs for Libyan Coast Guard personnel in Greece.

“Greece’s role as a reliable partner in the EU and the UN Security Council was highlighted. The Foreign Minister reiterated Greece’s position in favor of a political solution to the Libyan crisis, without third-party intervention.”

Regarding maritime zones, Mr. Gerapetritis emphasized that “Greece’s priority remains the delimitation of an exclusive economic zone with Libya, as a genuine neighboring country with a shared coastline, based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.”

Furthermore, the Greek delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou, traveled to Tripoli for the second round of technical talks on EEZ delimitation. The talks were constructive, and the next round will take place in Athens; she added that they are likely to be held in the near future.

“The two sides reiterated their commitment to continuing constructive dialogue on the basis of international law, as well as to further promote bilateral cooperation across a wide range of issues of mutual interest,” she noted. Ms. Papadopoulou also met with the acting Foreign Minister and held a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the Secretary-General of the General Administration of the Libyan National Army, General Al-Tamini.

Greece’s position “was expressed in all meetings regarding the illegal, baseless, and invalid 2019 Turkish-Libyan memorandum, which violates international law and, as a result, produces absolutely no legal effect.”

“The technical talks with Libya are taking place in Tripoli. These talks, in both the first and second rounds, had the same composition. However, during the Foreign Minister’s and the Deputy Foreign Minister’s meetings with officials from the Benghazi side, the latter were briefed on the developments,” he noted.

Strong political commitment to the Western Balkans’ accession process

He also referred to the recent visit by Mr. Gerapetritis to Serbia, noting that tomorrow the Foreign Minister will travel to Montenegro and to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The purpose of the Foreign Minister’s visits is “to reaffirm Greece’s strong political commitment to the Western Balkans’ accession process and to underscore the steadfast dedication of Greek foreign policy to this goal, especially in light of Greece’s assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2027.” Furthermore, “the goal is for Greece to actively support the European perspective of the Western Balkans by providing expertise to strengthen the reform efforts of its partners in the region.”

Meeting with the Patriarch of Jerusalem

Regarding the meeting between Mr. Gerapetritis and Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Foreign Minister expressed Greece’s commitment “to continue providing its support to the Patriarchate and to work toward the protection of Christian populations in Jerusalem and the Middle East, as well as the cultural heritage of the Holy Land.”

“He underscored the importance of preserving the Status Quo of Jerusalem, emphasizing that this must be fully respected by all and under any circumstances” and “he also stressed the need for cooperation with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as well as among the Ancient Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, which jointly bear the responsibility of safeguarding unity and protecting Orthodox Christians.”

During the visit, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem regarding cooperation in the protection and preservation of the Patriarchate’s tangible cultural heritage.

Establishment of the Position of Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

Reference was also made to the establishment of the position of permanent deputy minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the appointment to that position of Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou, a figure of recognized standing with many years of experience and deep knowledge of foreign policy issues.

“This is a long-standing and enduring demand of the diplomatic corps, which ensures institutional continuity and strengthens the prestige of the Diplomatic Service,” she noted, adding that the Union of Diplomatic Employees, had welcomed this legislative initiative by the political leadership to promote this particularly substantive institutional regulation in an official statement.

Finally, regarding the entry-exit system established by a European Union Regulation, Ms. Zohiou noted that “its implementation is mandatory for Member States participating in the Schengen Area, and ‘there is no room for deviation from the basic principles of the European Regulation.’”

“It does indeed involve the collection of biometric data, which, as we can clearly see, causes some delays in passport control, especially during periods of increased tourist traffic. The Greek authorities, taking into account the importance of maintaining and strengthening the flow of tourists to the country, will take the necessary measures, always making full use of the possibilities provided by EU legislation, but of course always in compliance with the European Regulation in question.”