Comfortable complacency on issues of ‘high’ politics that concern Greece
As an Israeli, I can only be jealous of Costas Iordanidis’s («The risk of ‘high’ politics,» August 19) comfortable complacency on issues of «high» politics that concern Greece (its security, economics, the integrity of her borders, and so on). He writes: «Ankara has no reason to take Papandreou’s diplomatic initiative (with Israel) too seriously. Ever since 1922, Greece has not posed a threat for Turkey, having degenerated into a minor annoyance.» «…it does not make sense to irritate Turkey by engaging in ‘high’ politics.» This wasn’t always a perspective that eKathimerini espoused. And I pray the author will never have reason to rue such sentiments. Apologies for going back so far (April 6, 2009) but I recall another commentary – this one by Nikos Konstandaras – where he writes: «It’s the timeless lesson of politics: The weak, even if they have justice on their side, are repeatedly trampled over by the mighty.» It seems to me that if Greece will not venture to a level above that of a «minor annoyance,» then what constitutes «high» politics for the author will continue to be compromised and invite being tested and trampled upon – not only in Cyprus and not only by Turkey. I may be mistaken, of course, but it may just be that it is precisely this feeling that moved George Papandreou to visit Israel and his government to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Athens.
DR GERHARD FISCHER Yehud, Israel
