Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Tuesday referring to the course of the West, that the transatlantic world is currently being tested. He noted that the US is pursuing a policy that does not take its deep symbiotic relationship with Europe for granted, and that will be a key topic at Thursday’s European Council, where difficult decisions will have to be made.
The PM revealed the position of Greece to current foreign policy affairs such as the transatlantic relations, Greenland as well as the Greek-Turkish relations during the first round of public discussions entitled “They Are Greece Too – Discussions at the Athens Conservatory.”
Mitsotakis pointed out that Greece is a Western country that embraces the European way of life and that, if the West is defined as Europe plus America, its cohesion is being tested, both because of differing ties on each side and because of the rapid rise of China, which challenges many assumptions that were previously taken for granted.
He added that it can no longer be assumed that the West is the shaper of global affairs and that developments in China must be closely monitored.
On Greece’s position on Greenland, the Greek Premier said that Greece is clear and that the future depends on Denmark and the inhabitants of Greenland. He emphasized that Greenland is considered NATO territory and warned that any attempt to alter the status quo would be catastrophic, representing a direct challenge to NATO.
He stressed that such actions could potentially be the tipping point in an already strained relationship with the United States. He stressed that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and that this cannot be disputed, while acknowledging that the US is right to believe that the northern countries should be more involved in Arctic security, with potential for bases and military presence, as well as economic exploitation of the island.
“If the status of Greenland is changed, I dare say that this will be catastrophic,” the PM stressed.
On Greek-Turkish relations, Mitsotakis noted that he has always advocated an active foreign policy and that Greece has actively pursued this, citing maritime spatial planning, marine parks, and the launch of research activities south of Crete.
He emphasized that Greece exercises its sovereign rights in the field and that the only issue with Türkiye concerns the delimitation of the continental shelf and the EEZ, which could only be resolved by an international judicial body.
Mitsotakis underlined that Greece has sent a message that it seeks dialogue and that disagreements must remain under control, resulting in progress in areas such as migration and the fast-track visa process. He stressed that these issues are significant and that Greece can also participate in multilateral formats in the southeastern Mediterranean.
he Prime Minister noted that Türkiye is a neighbour and that Greece will always seek good relations but wants to approach dialogue from as strong a position as possible for the homeland. [with info from state-run news agency ΑΜΝΑ]
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