Defense Minister Nikos Dendias sent a clear message to Turkey, emphasizing that extending territorial waters in the Aegean is a unilateral sovereign right, without specifying when the country will exercise it. As he stated, “we have done it in the Ionian. Greece reserves for itself the right to extend its waters. When we do it is a matter of national interest assessment. It’s a matter of choice but it is a sovereign right, a unilateral right.” Nikos Dendias gave an interview to Open TV and spoke about Greek-Turkish relations, the criticism he receives from Ankara, the extension of Greek territorial waters and the foreign policy pursued by Donald Trump.
Dendias on Turkey: “We cannot tolerate casus belli as the basis for discussion”
Subsequently, the minister advocated for dialogue with Turkey, however, he pointed out that “we cannot tolerate casus belli as the basis for discussion. We cannot negotiate. International law provides for the right to extend territorial waters and it is a hard sovereignty issue. We cannot discuss it. Greece does not claim or demand, but we cannot remain indifferent to violations of international law that try to pass through the imposition of the strong. And we are not powerless.”
Regarding the criticism directed at him from Ankara and scenarios that he has a personal agenda, he said that “these are not serious. Interference in a country’s internal affairs is not customary. Fidan and others are mentioned as potential successors to Erdogan. We could return this by saying they do it for internal reasons, but we don’t because we are serious. Our asset is calmness in responses. There is no policy of one and policy of another, we have a unified national stance, and I am convinced that the other parties also agree on this.”
On positions of Karamanlis and Samaras regarding Greek-Turkish relations
Regarding positions expressed from time to time by Kostas Karamanlis and Antonis Samaras on Greek-Turkish relations, Mr. Dendias said that “I have unlimited respect for their views and I don’t hide from you that I communicate with both. Of course I communicate with Mr. Samaras, I spoke to him the day before yesterday on the occasion of his name day.”
Regarding the foreign policy pursued by Donald Trump in his first year of governance in the US, the Defense Minister said that “there is broader reporting about the ‘Monroe doctrine’. I don’t think President Trump wants to impose some doctrine of his own. His positioning at Davos confirmed such an approach.”
As for his meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and the pointed remarks he left about Turkey, Mr. Dendias mentioned: “I neither interrupted him nor disagreed. We have an understanding with the state of Israel. We don’t create understandings to turn them against someone. If anyone violently tries to change the rules, we are not responsible for that. I wish the time would come when Turkey would be part of such an understanding. No country wants to exclude Turkey.”
