"Extraordinary efforts were made to ensure the safe repatriation of the Greeks"
JOURNALIST: We will now discuss with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Gerapetritis, who is the most qualified person to address this matter. Good evening, Minister, thank you for being with us tonight.
G. GERAPETRITIS: Good evening, Ms. Zacharea. It is an honor. Thank you.
JOURNALIST: The Government Council on Foreign and Defence Affairs (KYSEA) was convened this morning. Undoubtedly, you have made some initial assessments about this war. Do you expect it to last long, and what are your first predictions regarding its impact on Greece?
G. GERAPETRITIS: This is a war that was initiated by a violent terrorist act by Hamas against the state of Israel. An unprecedented act of terrorism in its inhumane nature, the violence, and the suffering it caused to the population. For this reason, I believe that the support for the state of Israel was self-evident, not only from Greece but from the entire Western world.
JOURNALIST: It is worse than the war in Ukraine.
G. GERAPETRITIS: I feel that currently there is an extremely high asymmetric threat. The scenes, Ms. Zacharea, that we all witness are unimaginable and inhumane. They do not only defy the very essence of humanity and the rule of law, but they are also completely contrary to the fundamental principles that govern human existence.
JOURNALIST: Will this last for long?
G. GERAPETRITIS: No one can tell with certainty. What I can tell you, though, is that the Greek state, the Greek government, is examining all possible scenarios.
The competent Ministries, the entire government under the leadership of the Prime Minister, have all possible scenarios on the table, whether this will be a short or longer war.
JOURNALIST: What could be the repercussions for our country?
G. GERAPETRITIS: They could be significant both for our country and the broader region. As you are aware, the Middle East has always been a point of reference for the world's balance, for regional and international security.
Currently, the Arab world seems to be divided. I had the opportunity, Ms. Zaharea, to visit Oman and the United Arab Emirates right at the outbreak of this crisis. I spoke with all my counterparts and representatives from the Gulf states, the Arab world, Egypt and Jordan.
At this moment, there is significant unrest precisely because there seems to be a major division.
The more this division and people's bigotry grow, the longer the period of unrest will be
It is evident that Greece must maintain a state of constant vigilance. As you realize, there are implications not only on the international front, but also on Greece's geopolitical position. Fortunately, I believe our country has developed a very stable policy, which is appreciated on the international stage.
JOURNALIST: Do you see any impact regarding the economy and the migration flows?
G. GERAPETRITIS: We could potentially be impacted on many levels. Everyone realizes that the first and most significant level is the humanitarian one.
We currently witness an extremely violent situation in Gaza, which is roughly the size of an average Greek island.
JOURNALIST: It is about the size of Andros.
G. GERAPETRITIS: It is like Andros, slightly larger than Karpathos, where approximately 2,300,000 people are gathered. With that kind of population density, we all realize what it would mean if violence were to break out there. The situation is disproportionate and we must be prepared for all scenarios.
Undoubtedly, migratory flows are a possibility and it is at that point that humanitarian values must be taken into consideration. The economic consequences will depend a lot on the stance of the Gulf, oil production and the decisions that will be made in relation to it, and of course, in the long run, on how long this war will last.
JOURNALIST: Did you discuss in KYSEA any potential security measures that should be taken against any unlawful actions?"
G. GERAPETRITIS: Security measures have already been significantly strengthened. The competent Ministry of Citizen Protection, as well as other relevant ministries including the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Ministry of Migration, are taking all necessary internal measures. The levels of security have already been upgraded to protect potential targets.
Although there is no reason to worry, there is a state of alert, and Greece is prepared for all possible scenarios. There is certainty and confidence that there will be no problem for us, but we are prepared for all possible scenarios.
JOURNALIST: Minister, I would like to conclude with Türkiye. Following the elections, we saw President Erdogan shifting towards the West.
We see that this is changing again. Erdogan has not taken a stance of full support for Israel, as we did. Already yesterday, NATO could not issue a joint statement because the Turkish Defence Minister insisted on a different approach.
Is that something that concerns you? Do you believe that this could affect the rapprochement with Greece?
G. GERAPETRITIS: Ms. Zacharea, I want to begin with our own foreign policy, before moving on to matters regarding Türkiye. I want to reaffirm with confidence and in full knowledge that Greek foreign policy is based on principles. These are the principles that solidify our foreign policy and render it serious and credible.
We will not take decisions based on random circumstances. We always adhere to international law, humanitarian principles, and the United Nations Charter.
We understand that Türkiye may have relatively shifted in its foreign policy, compared to a more Western-oriented stance that has been developed recently. In my opinion, after the events in the Middle East, a relative or major shift would not directly affect Greek-Turkish relations and the rapprochement that is being attempted.
However, I would like to emphasize that in any case, consistency in foreign policy is very significant. It is greatly important. And I would like to emphasize that this is also greatly appreciated by all our partners, and always helps during crises.
At this point I want to tell you, Ms. Zacharea, that extraordinary efforts have been made for the repatriation of the Greeks from Israel. Greece was one of the first countries to bring back home all, I repeat all, Greeks who wished to do so, under particularly difficult conditions.
Furthermore, we also assisted citizens from many other countries in traveling to Greece and subsequently back to their home countries. These are issues of national credibility and prestige for our country.
JOURNALIST: Minister, thank you very much for the talk we had.
G. GERAPETRITIS: It was a great pleasure. Thank you.
October 12, 2023