In Strasbourg, where he is participating in the European Parliament Plenary, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos continued Greece’s intensive diplomatic efforts to ensure that there will be no threat to the maritime environment of the Eastern Mediterranean due to the operation for the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal.
The Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Ahmet Üzümcü, responded to a relevant letter from Mr. Venizelos, reiterating his assurances. The issue was discussed again during Mr. Venizelos’ brief meeting with his Italian colleague, Emma Bonino, who was also in Strasbourg, accompanying the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, who met on Monday with Mr. Venizelos, also made assurances that there is absolutely no danger and no question of dumping any material in the sea, while Mr. Venizelos issued instructions to Greece’s Permanent Representative to NATO to monitor the proceedings concerning the potential participation of NATO in military support and monitoring of this operation.
Greece has made it clear to all international organizations and to all its international collocutors that, for Greece, the protection of the Mediterranean maritime environment is a matter of vital importance that is linked not only to the tourism industry, but also to the self-evident environmental sensitivity that exists in Greek society.
From the data that has been gathered on the level of the European Union, the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, as well as through numerous bilateral meetings, it arises that there is no threat or danger, but the Greek government is continuing and will continue its efforts on the level of international organizations and the international community, as well as on the level of NGOs, to ensure the absolute safeguarding of the Mediterranean marine environment.
February 5, 2014