In a period of intense geopolitical realignments and shifting balances, former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras attempts, through an op-ed in Kathimerini newspaper, to establish a national strategy framework that, as he emphasizes, “will shield the country against new challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities.” The occasion for his intervention was Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s proposal to organize a conference of coastal countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, an initiative that the former SYRIZA president considers significant, but notes requires “substantial preparation, realistic goals and clear strategic direction.”
Tsipras points out that the international scene is in a transitional phase toward a multipolar world, where international law is being tested by the rise of powerful states imposing the logic of “might makes right.” In this new environment, he notes, Greece must remain steadily oriented toward International Law and pursue an active, multidimensional and level-headed foreign policy, away from both nationalism and passivity. Referring to the conference announced by the Prime Minister, Tsipras emphasizes that its success will depend on the degree of preparation and clear definition of Greek “red lines.” Specifically, he argues, if the initiative is also being promoted by the American side, “Athens must clarify in advance the framework of its positions.”
Alexis Tsipras: The “6+1 conditions for national strategy”
The former Prime Minister formulates six basic axes and one additional condition for a coherent foreign policy:
- Close coordination with the Republic of Cyprus, aiming to restart talks for a just and viable solution to the Cyprus issue, based on the Guterres framework.
- Activation of the EU, to ensure its institutional presence in Eastern Mediterranean processes and utilize EU-Turkey relations for stability’s benefit.
- Linking economic relations and diplomacy, with proposals for an EU-Eastern Mediterranean Summit and connecting the upcoming EU-Turkey trade agreement with commitments on delimitations and Cyprus.
- Continuation of bilateral EEZ/continental shelf delimitations and gradual extension of Greek territorial waters to 12 nautical miles where feasible.
- Preparation for judicial recourse at The Hague, if no progress is made in negotiations with Turkey and other neighboring countries.
- Ensuring broad Libyan representation at the conference and strengthening coordination with Egypt.
- +1. A stable national compass, based on consistency, avoiding extremes and respecting international law, as a prerequisite for long-term national security.
Alexis Tsipras concludes that Greece has no room for unplanned moves or communication initiatives. As he notes, “national strategy cannot be a product of circumstances, but of long-term planning, consensus and responsibility.”
