Good evening. I just informed the Prime Minister of the positive outcome of today’s Council, and particularly with regard to the critical issues of immediate interest to Greece.
We had very interesting discussions over these two days on all the important issues bearing on our wider region.
Yesterday, at the Foreign Affairs Council, we looked at the situation in the Middle East. We discussed the prospects for the peace process following the upgrading of Palestine’s status at the UN. In that vote, Greece maintained a stance of principle; a stance backing the need to support the two-state solution – the solution of Israel and Palestine coexisting in peace and security, next to one another. We are at a critical turning point in the peace process, and that is why I stressed in my statements that the two sides need to desist from actions that create obstacles to the reopening of the talks. Greece is a trusted collocutor in the region; a trusted partner for both sides that can contribute to the achievement of progress.
We also discussed the developments in Syria, and we had the opportunity to meet with the opposition leader Al Khatib. Our position is that we need to continue the efforts towards a political solution, a political way out of the current impasse. The military path will lead nowhere. It will widen the chasm and continue to fuel the vast humanitarian disaster. That is why it is important for us to invest in the efforts of the UN Special Envoy and pursue understanding amongst ourselves, the international community. At the same time, it is important that we support the humanitarian efforts and help Syria’s neighbouring countries, particularly Lebanon and Jordan, which are coming under a lot of pressure right now.
In any case – and I stressed this in yesterday’s discussions, as I will tomorrow at the meeting of the Friends of the Syrian People Group, in Morocco – we need to make sure that any solution in Syria safeguards the rights and protection of all the religious and ethnic minorities in the country. The Greek Orthodox community in Syria, in particular, following the loss of its spiritual leader, is currently facing major challenges.
Another issue the Council looked at was EU-Russian relations. I had the opportunity to brief my colleagues on my recent meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister. In a few days, we will have the EU-Russia Summit, and Greece sees this as a very important meeting. We consider the relations between the two sides to be of strategic importance. The strengthening of cooperation in a number of sectors – including energy, trade and tourism – will benefit both sides. In this context, we stressed the need to liberalize the visa regime, which will bring our societies closer together. So it is important to focus on those issues that will bring us closer together and help us take steps forward. And let’s not forget that Europe and Russia are facing common global challenges, and they can achieve a great deal more when they work together.
I now come to the proceedings of today’s General Affairs Council. The enlargement package was the focus of the proceedings. Greece’s firm position is that enlargement is one of the EU’s most important policies. It is a tool for consolidating peace, stability, security and development. But because it is so important, it has to be carried out with respect for the criteria and conditions that have been set via unanimous EU decisions. There is no sense in our sweeping problems under the carpet. We need to face problems frankly, with our eye on the future – our common European future. Today in particular, when we are seeing a rise in nationalism in many Balkan countries, it is more important than ever that we speak the language of truth; that, rather than lowering the bar of European standards, we ensure that candidate countries respect EU standards as they are.
And it was in this firmly constructive spirit that we participating in today’s debates. The conclusions that we came to are driven by this mindset. They keep open the European perspectives of the candidate countries, while also setting out clearly the steps these countries have to take in order to move ahead on their European courses.
With respect to FYROM in particular: I remind you that the European Commission recommended the opening of accession negotiation as early as in 2009, and that this year’s report reiterates the same recommendation. Our view is that the opening of accession negotiations with FYROM is not a technocratic matter, but a purely political matter.
Of late, Greece has undertaken major initiatives toward a definitive solution of the name issue, chief among those initiatives being our proposal for the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two countries; a memorandum that determines the framework and the basic parameters of the solution. Thanks to this initiative of ours, the UN process has been reactivated, and it is Greece’s desire that this develop in the coming time, in a substantial manner, toward the achievement of a solution.
Greece’s constructive stance is based on our conviction that it is the right policy. It is a reaffirmation of Greece’s self-confidence and our firm belief in our principles and positions. Respect for good neighbourly relations is a condition that will have to be met.
These are the positions and views that Greece presented in the talks. Many countries with vital roles in our region and in the enlargement process backed Greece’s positions.
In the conclusions we adopted today, we achieved significant progress that may function as a catalyst.
For the first time, the resolution of the name issue is set expressly, by unanimous decision of the Council, as a prerequisite for the opening of FYROM’s accession negotiations.
The name issue is now a decisive component – in clear terms – in meeting the criteria for good neighbourly relations.
More specifically, as stated in the conclusions, the Council will assess, based on the Commission’s report, not only the steps toward meeting the criterion of good neighbourly relations, but also the achievement of a solution on the name issue, within the framework of the negotiations under the aegis of the UN. When a solution is achieved, the Council will decide on giving a mandate to the Commission to prepare the negotiating framework of the opening of accession negotiations with FYROM.
Other important elements have been included in the text of the conclusions, including the Council’s support for the Greek proposal to Skopje for the signing of a memorandum of understanding that will determine the framework and the exact parameters for the settlement of the name issue.
The European Union spoke in a single voice today, sending a clear message to Skopje. It is a positive and sincere message. We hope that Skopje will take the necessary steps and participate in a constructive manner in the negotiations at the UN, so that we can reach a solution. We hope that Skopje will abandon the rhetoric of the past and respond to the positive initiatives Greece has taken, so that we can put this issue behind us through a mutually acceptable solution that will free up the dynamic in our relations, contribute to regional stability, and impart momentum to our neighbours’ European perspective. Greece will continue to work constructively in this direction.
December 12, 2012