Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias spoke about Greek-Indian relations on the Indian network WION, according to a post on Twitter. The minister also noted Turkey’s destabilizing role to the detriment of the wider region and made a major revelation of plans to establish a new tripartite cooperation.
“The visit of Dr. Jaishankar was the first visit of an Indian Foreign Minister to Athens in almost two decades. This visit was long overdue. And I look forward to visiting New Delhi in the near future.
Greece is the birthplace of democracy. India is the largest democracy in the world. Both countries have the same principles. Respect for international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, peaceful settlement of disputes.
Our goal is to develop a strategic partnership that reflects the level of our bilateral relations. We will work together in the coming months to finalize a series of agreements that, unfortunately, have been pending for years.
Greece as an EU Member State has the capacity to act as a bridge between the European Union and India. In this regard, we fully support the further strengthening of EU-India relations.
Greece, as a country that is blessed by the sun, has the ability to take advantage of solar energy. In this regard, our participation in the solar alliance will help us achieve our goals.
I stressed that the imposition of aggressive and revisionist policies by a particular state destabilizes not only the immediate neighborhood, but also the wider region.
I also stressed that this state uses religious tendencies in its attempt to revive the dream of empire. Or rather, the ghosts of the past.
I commended India’s contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus, as well as India’s efforts to find a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem, in accordance with the provisions of the relevant UN Council resolutions, ie a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.
Opportunities for new shapes emerge. And we want India to be actively involved in them. We have developed a strategic partnership with the United Arab Emirates. And we look forward to starting a tripartite dialogue in the near future.
In addition to outlining Turkey’s ambitions in the region, as well as its behavior towards almost all of its neighbors, there is a need to highlight two points, which should also be of concern to India.
First, Turkey is trying to establish a permanent military presence in many countries. This could be a destabilizing factor.
Second, Turkey is increasingly playing the religious card to advance its geopolitical agenda. We have seen such examples in our immediate neighborhood, in the Balkans and in the Eastern Mediterranean, but also more and more in other parts of the world. Especially in Africa.
Turkey threatens Greece with war if Greece exercises its inherent sovereign rights. In addition, Turkey refuses to deal with the only bilateral issue it has with Greece under international law.
The challenge is not Turkey as a country. It is a fact that Turkey refuses to abide by the rules set and accepted by the international community. In this respect, India, a country that adheres to these rules, can play an important role internationally.
India has entered into agreements with almost all of its neighbors on the delimitation of Exclusive Economic Zones under international law. This precisely reflects Greece’s position on the issue.
