The Turkish Memorandum is invalid and non -existent and has no basis in international law, the Foreign Minister underlined George Gerapetritisin response to the House earlier today, to a relevant question from independent MP Marios Salma. Mr Gerapetritis referred to his compelling trip to Libya, noting that Greece is explicitly and over time in favor of the relationship of good neighborly with Libya, has invited it to a dialogue on the demarcation of maritime zones, and that the pursuit of a good visit is to see it only. of the sea.
During the debate, the head of Greek diplomacy responded to the MP’s criticism that in the two years since the elections of 2023, no need for Greek diplomacy have been needed that would prevent worrying developments. “The government, through coordinated actions passing through international organizations, in the EU and the UN, through strategic alliances with critical countries, such as Egypt, and above all, with the exercise of our sovereign rights in the field, is growing the country’s diplomatic capital.”
The Turkolibyyan memorandum
“The Turkolibyan memorandum is not invalid and non -existent because it was not signed by the House. The House of Eastern Libya did the right -wing ratification because it was invalid and non -existent. That is, regardless of the fact that it came from the government whose mandate had expired, primarily because it has absolutely no basis in international law. Libya and Turkey do not have any relevant shores so that they can chart marine zones, that is, an exclusive economic zone. Therefore, there is absolutely no influence, whatever they sign it, whatever they ratify it, because this memorandum is contrary to international law in its essence, “the foreign minister underlined.
Mr Gerapetritis responded to the moves of Greek diplomacy, on this issue. As he said, in the last two years there has been staffing of both our Embassy in Tripoli and our consulate in Benghazi, so that a “balanced relationship” can develop as at the moment, the political situation in Libya is “very high turmoil”, “there is no political stability”. The Foreign Minister referred to his conversation with the Speaker of the House of Eastern Libya, in which he expressed Greece’s position in relation to the Turkish Memorandum. Last week there were “many actions”, the Foreign Minister informed and referred to his meetings with the competent EU Commissioners, the Commissioner for Immigration, the Mediterranean Commissioner, the office of the President of the European Commission, noting that he was included in a special reference to Libyan, ” Conclusions of the European Council. “So at the moment the EU is behind Greece on the issue,” George Gerapetritis said, and also underlined the strategic relations that Greek diplomacy has “consolidated” with Egypt.
Visit
As the head of Greek diplomacy also informed, he will visit Libya in the near future, “to manage the issues that arise in relation to the marine zones”. In this climate, the Foreign Minister emphasized that Greece is explicitly and over time in favor of the relationship of good neighborly with Libya, “with which we are associated with historical ties anyway, and for this reason, we have invited Libya to start the debate with Greece” It will be us to have a demarcation solution, but it will only rely on the contract for the law of the sea. “
Earlier, independent MP Marios Salmas had commented that “following the recent statement by the New Democracy Vice President that the Mitsotakis government was caught unprepared in 2019, in the signing of a Turkish troop memorandum”, a major issue was raised in society. “So I am reasonably coming to ask you what you have done in your term of office to correct this Turkish Memorandum and to avoid his vote by the Eastern Libyan government, controlled by General Happere,” said the independent MP.
Commenting on the response of the Foreign Minister, Marios Salmas said that it is understood that “in the two years that have passed since the 2023 elections and is in that position, the prime minister had no meeting with the leadership of the neighboring country, Libya, either western or east. It is also understood that the Foreign Minister, for two years, had no contact with the leadership of the neighboring country “, that is,” we have staffed the consulate and that is all “. The MP also called on Mr Gerapetritis to answer what the Greek government would do if the Turkish Memorandum is validated, and what would be the implications for Greece.
“We have consolidated communication channels, with both sides of Libya,” the foreign minister said, noting that the aim of his forthcoming visit is “to start the essential discussions on both political issues and migrants”.
“You told me ‘what did we do?’ We, Mr. MPs, our sovereign rights, exercise them in the field. We do not practice them with rhetoric or arrogance. We were the ones who have declared plots within the Greek exclusive economic zone in the last two years, on the waistline, even on a proposal of financial giants, such as the American Chevron. We did this. It was not done on its own, “Mr Gerapetritis said, noting:” After all, from a first reading, the midline seems to respect Libya itself, which in its own exploitation agreement, did not exceed, it does not seem to go beyond the midline, as we perceive it. On the contrary, there may be issues with other countries. So this is an additional indication that there is an initial respect for mutual sovereign rights. “
The migratory
The Foreign Minister also emphasized that this government is the first time, it brought the maritime spatial planning, “a long -term ultimate program, which shields the country’s sovereign rights because now this maritime planning is a European acquis.”
Referring to the Migration issue from North Africa, Mr Gerapetritis noted that it is not an issue affecting Greece, it is an issue that threatens Europe itself, because there are currently 10 million displaced Sudanese, of which 2 million are out of the way. “So, given the political situation in Libya, there is a comprehensive problem, hence the large increase in flows observed to Italy from Western Libya.”
St. Catherine
Referring to Egypt, the Foreign Minister said he is a “strategic girlfriend”, “they associate us with common interests”, “we are also linked by historical links that have been looking for centuries.” He also noted that the Egyptian government is willing to manage the issue that arose with the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine of Mount Sinai, following the issuance of the Egyptian Court of Appeal. “We have the sustainable optimism that in the near future there will be intervention by the Egyptian government in the direction of respecting the universality and the Greek Orthodox character of the monument.”
Greece, the head of Greek diplomacy said, through coordinated actions passing through international organizations, in the EU and the UN, through strategic alliances with critical countries, such as Egypt, and above all, with the exercise of our sovereign rights in the field, is growing.