JOURNALIST: We are honored to have with us in the ANT1 studio, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Gerapetritis. Minister, good evening.
G. GERAPETRITIS: Good evening. The honor is mine, Mr. Chatzinikolaou.
JOURNALIST: I will start with the simultaneous message that Washington sent to both Athens and Ankara regarding the F-35s and the F-16s. Some argue that while the Greek government is "celebrating" the expected procurement of the F-35s, in reality, Ankara’s acquisition of F-16s is a minor defeat for us. In fact, speaking on Real FM radio station this morning, the President of the Greek Solution party, Mr. Velopoulos, stated that we put our signature on Türkiye acquiring the F-16s due to Erdogan's visit to Athens and the Athens Declaration. And that the recent Greek-Turkish rapprochement was a major mistake. I would like your response on that, please.
G. GERAPETRITIS: Mr. Chatzinikolaou, I believe I have never heard so many inaccuracies condensed into a few seconds, if you allow me to say. Let me start with the assumptions. First of all, we do not indulge in celebration. In general, the current government is not inclined towards celebration. We seek to be serious, responsible, and accountable, always acting in the best interests of our country. Second, we will never succumb to being determined by external factors. We neither have the say, nor can we dictate how the United States of America allocates its defense programs. What we do, and I believe we do consistently, is safeguard our own national interests in the face of such defense procurements.
JOURNALIST: Before you move on from the second point, SYRIZA claims, Minister Gerapetritis, that Kyriakos Mitsotakis, both from the podium of Congress in that historic speech and from the podium of the Hellenic Parliament, assured that Türkiye would not acquire the F-16s.
G. GERAPETRITIS: I have made it quite clear, and I believe the Prime Minister has, as well. We cannot dictate the defense policies of the United States. What we can determine, however, is that these defense programs, allocated to ally countries, will not be used against Greek interests. This, I would assert, is a completely self-evident truth.
JOURNALIST: This prompts me to ask a question. I read today in the “Kathimerini” newspaper regarding a purported secret State Department document to Congress suggesting that the F-16s cannot be used against a NATO member country. Are you aware of this document? Additionally, have we received any assurances -and if so in what form-, regarding the use of the F-16s by the neighboring country?
G. GERAPETRITIS: Mr. Chatzinikolaou, please allow me to approach some of my responses with caution, not due to a reluctance to answer, but because it is still a dynamic process. Our participation in the F-35 program and Türkiye's F-16 upgrade are both at stages of adjustment. The processes have not yet been completed; they are about to begin; hence we await the outcomes. Yet, both you and the Greek people rest assured that under this government, there is no chance that our national interests will not be defended appropriately. The United States and Greece presently enjoy the strongest possible strategic alliance. Therefore, I believe we have been rewarded for our principled foreign policy. We are very consistent in our policy. We stand on the side of International Law, we adhere to international legality, we are firmly oriented towards the West, and we oppose any form of aggression.
JOURNALIST: And yet the opposition accuses you of being excessively pro-Western, pro-American.
G. GERAPETRITIS: I have heard it said, Mr. Chatzinikolaou, that we are taken for granted. How I wish that such taken-for-granted allies could receive what our country is receiving today. And let me tell you something. In response to the Main opposition as well as to Mr. Velopoulos' comments, I invite you to recall our country’s status in 2019. Just observe where Greece stood in terms of defense programs in 2019, compared to other allied countries. Recall, Mr. Chatzinikolaou, that in 2019, following a decade of decline, unfortunately, due to the economic crisis of the Armed Forces, we initiated requests for inclusion in the F-16 program. Today, Greece, Mr. Chatzinikolaou, is privileged to join a very small club of fifth-generation fighters. "The taken-for-granted ally” is receiving from the USA frigates, transport vehicles, armored vehicles, all at no cost to the Greek armed forces. We, Mr. Chatzinikolaou, will continue to pursue a robust foreign policy with due gravity, while fostering independent Armed Forces.
JOURNALIST: Minister, I did, however, hear Ms. Nuland, the US Deputy Secretary of State, somewhat open the door for Ankara to rejoin the F-35 program, effectively demanding for the withdrawal of the Russian S-400 missiles. I would like your comment on this.
G. GERAPETRITIS: Of course. Allow me to remind you, Mr. Chatzinikolaou, that in 2019 Türkiye was a participant in the F-35 program, at a time when we were simply aspiring to join the F-16. Let us reflect the perspective of this narrative. Consider Greece’s current standing. How strong a geostrategic pole it is. How, in reality, Greece can now converse with regional and universal powers. At this juncture, and I say this with all due modesty, Mr. Chatzinikolaou, Greece, while geographically small, possesses a formidable diplomatic capital.
JOURNALIST: Please tell me, might there be truth to what some say, like Mr. Velopoulos, that Erdogan essentially used the Athens Declaration as a passport to acquire the F-16s? I ask because shortly after we saw him speak again about the blue homeland. And we heard him from Izmir refer to Greeks in a very aggressive and derogatory, offensive manner.
G. GERAPETRITIS: With all due respect, let me tell you that he did not refer to Greeks. He spoke of enemies and Türkiye's historical journey.
JOURNALIST: He mentioned throwing some into the sea. I imagine he meant us.
G. GERAPETRITIS: Let me say this: we would truly be living in the clouds to believe that the path to any normalization of Greek-Turkish relations would be linear, without downturns, without setbacks. We are aware of this. But I want to add something. Is there a Greek today who believes we should be standing against Türkiye? I want to say the following, Mr. Chatzinikolaou. There is a historic opportunity today. I perceive it, within the scope of my capacity and responsibilities, as a historic chance. What is this historic opportunity? To explore possibilities for us to live with Türkiye in a state of good neighborliness. If I do not act, and if the current government does not act to this end, we will be accountable to history. I'm not saying, Mr. Chatzinikolaou, that this effort will necessarily succeed. But I want to exhaust all avenues. And I want to do so because I feel obliged to my children, to future generations, who should not have to live with their fingers on the trigger. You know, there's one thing that pleases me, Mr. Chatzinikolaou. I saw a poll yesterday regarding the concerns of Greek citizens about their future, about today, about tomorrow. And I noticed that over time, Greek citizens' concerns about national issues, that is, issues of foreign policy and defense, are diminishing—though they are increasing in other areas—and ultimately, this is our goal. To enable, Mr. Chatzinikolaou, through a multifaceted foreign policy and strong defense, Greek citizens to feel secure. To allow them to focus on other matters, on their progress and prosperity, but to also feel pride in and connection with their homeland.
JOURNALIST: Is there any basis to the information I've been reading in recent hours that an invitation to the Prime Minister to visit the White House in May is expected?
G. GERAPETRITIS: You realize that this issue is also underway. Let me tell you this: the Prime Minister is truly a leader with a significant international profile. I believe he has proved this throughout his career, and I have the impression he will receive many invitations in the future. I want to tell you—and I say this in all honesty—that when I began my tenure at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I myself had not fully realized how valuable a diplomatic capital Greece has acquired, thanks precisely to the Prime Minister. In particular, with regard to Greek-US relations, I will personally meet with the US Secretary of State, Mr. Blinken and I will have multiple meetings with high-ranking US officials on February 9th, as part of the Strategic Dialogue with the United States. We are a powerful pole, Mr. Chatzinikolaou.
JOURNALIST: This February, correct?
G. GERAPETRITIS: All this is arranged for February 9th.
JOURNALIST: Oh, February 9th?
G. GERAPETRITIS: Indeed. We anticipate further developments. I will be in charge of the upcoming strategic dialogue.
JOURNALIST: Is there a chance Mr. Mitsotakis might visit the White House in March?
G. GERAPETRITIS: There is always a possibility of such a visit, depending upon his own scheduling. He has a series of international engagements on the horizon. I believe that at this juncture, —and I say this to you, Mr. Chatzinikolaou, to relay to all Greeks—, Greece’s standing, Greece's voice in the international arena counts. And it counts because it is sincere, consistent, based on International Law, and a policy of principles.
JOURNALIST: I have two final questions to pose.
G GERAPETRITIS: Please, go ahead.
JOURNALIST: Regarding Skopje. On Sunday, Real News newspaper published a revealing report according to which they are failing to fulfill their obligations under the Prespa Agreement. I am referring to travel documents and so on. How do you intend to address this? What about the memoranda of this Agreement? They have not been submitted for ratification to the Parliament.
G. GERAPETRITIS: Let me tell you this and I want to reiterate it emphatically and convey it to the Greeks who are watching us. The Prespa Agreement is an international treaty. As such, it takes precedence over any other provision of law, meaning that it cannot be unilaterally amended. The New Democracy has timely positioned itself on the Treaty’s dark, grey, contentious aspects. Nonetheless, neither side can currently modify this Agreement. What can we do, Mr. Chatzinikolaou? We can monitor the consistent and strict adherence to the Prespa Agreement’s provisions. And this is what we are doing.
JOURNALIST: They do not implement it, though.
G. GERAPETRITIS: Allow me to tell you this: there is indeed a significant date looming for North Macedonia.
JOURNALIST: The date is February 12.
G. GERAPETRITIS: Precisely, February 12. It is the deadline for the updating of public documents, including travel documents, as well as vehicle license plates. Greece will insist on full compliance with the obligations under the Prespa Agreement. Regarding the memoranda, you realize that their ratification by the Hellenic Parliament also depends on the full adherence to the Prespa Agreement. We will remain committed to this Agreement, strictly monitoring its full observance.
JOURNALIST: Turning to the Middle East. How do the current events in Gaza affect our country and to what extent?
G. GERAPETRITIS: I believe their impact is indeed significant and multiple, Mr. Chatzinikolaou. First of all, we are all aware that a humanitarian crisis, however regional it may be, resonates deeply with our citizens' empathy and our humanism. We are a people profoundly driven by humanitarian values. Second, there is an obvious threat to international trade, particularly affecting international shipping. A specialized task force is already operating in the Red Sea to address this grave issue. The European Union is also actively engaged. Third, we face the potential of increasing migration flows and a significant economic downturn if disruptions in trade through this area persist. But let me also say this: Greece is engaging with all parties, speaking from a position of strength if I may say so. It has a significant voice and role to play in the Middle East. Our stance is very consistent and rest assured that when the time comes, we will assume the constructive role that is required. May this nightmare end as soon as possible.
JOURNALIST: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gerapetritis, thank you very much.
G. GERAPETRITIS: All the best; it was an honour.
January 30, 2024