Mitsotakis: No illusions about Turkey
New Democracy President Kyriakos Mitsotakis voiced his satisfaction with the current easing of tensions in Greek-Turkish ties, but insisted he had no illusions as to the possibility of changing long-term trends in foreign policy.
Visiting the island of Leros, Mitsotakis reiterated that Greece is only discussing the dispute over the continental shelf, which means the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), noting that Greece does not intend to table issues of island demilitarization, sovereignty and sovereign rights.
“Yes, we are satisfied that we have seen a decrease in tension in recent months in terms of violations and infringements of our airspace, but we are under no illusions. We extend a hand of friendship but at the same time we continue to strengthen our armed forces. We continue to protect our borders and we continue to build alliances that strengthen the geopolitical footprint of our country,” Mitsotakis said.
Meanwhile, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou noted during a speech that opened the proceedings of the International Conference on the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Lausanne, noted that “the treaties that define borders cannot and do not expire, nor can they be unilaterally revised by one party without the consent of the others.”
“The final territorial settlement is the very cornerstone of the treaty,” she stressed. Loukas Tsoukalis, board chairman of the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), which co-organized the conference, underscored the importance of the Treaty of Lausanne for the peaceful coexistence of the two states for decades.
Former deputy prime minister Evangelos Venizelos explored whether the Treaty of Lausanne helps in the rapprochement between Greece and Turkey or whether it is a point of friction.
Professor of economic history at Bogazici University Sevket Pamuk referred noted impacts of the population exchange, especially in Greece where refugees made up 20% of the population, and the management of the Ottoman debt.
