Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Wednesday that sanctions against Turkey need to remain on the European Union table as a tool to prevent new provocative and illegal actions.
During the online Inter-Parliamentary Conference of the MED7 group, Dendias spoke of the “hybrid threats” to the region, mainly the instrumentalisation of the migration issue by Turkey against Greece and Cyprus.
“For the most part of 2020, we faced destabilizing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean region, which were caused by the dangerous escalation of Turkey’s illegal and provocative behavior against Greece and Cyprus,” he noted.
He pointed out, after the tangible results achieved in the field and under the pressure of US sanctions and EU Council decisions, there was finally a partial de-escalation.
He stressed that a positive EU-Turkey agenda can only be achieved if Turkey consistently demonstrates a constructive stance in the region, respecting international law and EU criteria, which, he added, has not yet happened.
“Therefore, it is necessary to keep on the table a specific package of targeted measures, ready to be imposed, as a tool to permanently prevent illegal and provocative behaviour,” Dendias stressed.
In addition, he underlined that in order to achieve security, stability and cooperation in the Mediterranean region, it is necessary to resolve the Cyprus issue as soon as possible.
FM Dendias said that Greece wants to organize the MED7 2021 Summit in Crete around two axes: security and sustainable development of the Mediterranean region. [via amna]
Greece is absolutely right. Germany, not so much. Never mind sanctions, they are selling them arms!