‘Today and yesterday we talked about Turkey. Today the Turkish Minister for EU Affairs attended the meeting as well. We also expressed our solidarity to our friends, the people of Turkey. I elaborated on the consequences the coup would have had, had it succeeded. At the same time I highlighted the fact that, based on our experience, no matter how angry or upset people may be about dealing with coups and those involved in them, we learnt from the Greek experience of 1974 that calmness and composure are called for in dealing with putchists. In order to tackle them we need to apply Democracy as a method, to enforce the rule of law and not to inflict new wounds which we will have to revisit in the future. I do understand the furry there is vis-a-vis terrorists and the putchists in Turkey, yet Democracy is always magnanimous, poised and treats them through democratic means.
I welcomed the fact that certain reforms of the military police are already underway but also efforts are being made aiming at restricting the role of the army in Turkey so that it may not be able to attempt a coup again. Also, in the face of Gulen, to an extent, attempts at enforcing religious beliefs over and above the state, were also defeated.
What is needed, whenever there is a coup, is to tackle it while standing up for Democracy, defending democratic institutions and furthering the rights of the people rather than punishing and holding onto power, as the latter could also possibly lead to authoritarian means and methods opted for by the putchists. The problem with the European Union is not endlessly discuss information and evidence we have, for this was the turn the discussion took to a degree. Analyzing is not enough. We must have a strategy in place, one focused on maximizing democracy in the entire region.
Furthermore, I pointed out that the events in Turkey, and those in Egypt, seem to indicate there is an overall issue regarding the dissemination of Democracy, on the one hand, and the importance of stability and security in the region, on the other. Which is why, after all, we are hosting the Rhodes Conference for Security and Stability.
Lastly, I touched upon Syria and problems in our borders that are pertinent to Syria. We are now having discussions with the Eastern Partnership countries about future E.U. enlargements, whenever and however they actually take place.’
September 3, 2016