According to a statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos on Wednesday, following his meeting with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, the Hellenic Navy will send a frigate and a submarine to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Mr. Venizelos underlined that this is part of Greece’s international obligations. More specifically, the frigate will be sent to the area as part of UNIFIL and the submarine will participate in NATO’s Active Endeavour operation.

Venizelos also referred to the agreement signed between Greece and Cyprus on search and rescue missions that places under the jurisdiction of the two countries and of the international law, the maritime area between Greece and Cyprus – along the lines of the existing agreement regarding the airspace between Nicosia and Athens FIR – to conduct search and rescue operations.

What was discussed in the meeting between Anastasiades and Venizelos.

Mr. Venizelos made the following statements after his meeting with the Cypriot President:

“We had a very interesting and substantial discussion with President Anastasiades, in the presence of Foreign Minister Kasoulides. We looked at the organization of the visit from Prime Minister Samaras, who will be coming next week – accompanied by me – and at the meeting of the heads of the political parties, which will take place with our participation.
Of course, we looked at the planning for the trilateral Summit Meeting in Cairo, next Saturday, which will be the first meeting on such a level. We are now preparing for that meeting on the ministerial level. We see the importance of this move for the region, for regional stability in the midst of crises.
And naturally we looked mainly at the analysis of the situation that exists in Cyprus, in the region of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus. We looked at the Turkish provocations, the blatant violation of international law. And of course there is full coordination and in-depth analysis and planning, with complete composure, based on reference to international law and in particular the International Law of the Sea, because for us the existence, the international legal personality, national sovereignty and the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus are the basis for a viable and just solution to the Cyprus issue, to the benefit of both communities – to the benefit not just of the Greek Cypriot community, but also of the Turkish Cypriot community – and this has to be made absolutely clear to the Turkish side.”

Asked to comment on journalistic reports in Greek media that Greece is sending naval vessels to the region, a submarine and a frigate, Mr. Venizelos said the following:

“Greece is a member state of the UN, of the European Union, and, since the early 1950s, of NATO. We have been a NATO member for over 62 years. Greece is a country that respects its international obligations and participates in international missions. There are international missions of the UN and NATO in the wider Mediterranean region that Greece is participating in, as is the case, for example, with the UN mission in Lebanon, or the Active Endeavor operation in the Mediterranean, within the framework of NATO. So Greece has a steady naval presence in the wider region. This is for the reasons I stated, and it is a reality that we must all bear in mind.”

He also added that “there is very significant Greek participation in the UN mission in Lebanon, and the UN has asked us, due to the crisis in the region, to have an upgraded presence on the level, potentially, of a frigate, and of course we are participating in Active Endeavor with a submarine, as I have seen reported by some media outlets.”
Mr. Venizelos noted that “our collaborations and all of our initiatives are politico-diplomatic initiatives aimed at maintaining stability and peace in the region. Everyone should be aware of this. All countries should have as their sole goal the maintenance of stability and peace. And this is also my message to the Turkish side.”

Asked to comment on the fact that the UN is talking about a maritime dispute in Cyprus, Mr. Venizelos said that “there is no maritime dispute.”

Regarding UN Secretary General`s Special Adviser Mr. Eide’s statements in Ankara that the Cyprus issue is a difficult issue and will become even more complicated with the issue of hydrocarbons, the Deputy Prime Minister said that “Mr. Eide is a very serious politician and a representative of the Secretary General who can play a very positive role in the Cyprus issue. You will allow me to hear his views from him directly, during his visit to Athens on 5 November.”

He also added that “What is important is that we stress that there is no dispute between Cyprus and Turkey over the delimitation of the EEZ and the continental shelf in the critical area. Turkey is not claiming its EEZ there. There is no question that this is the EEZ and the continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus. Moreover, Turkey is invoking its contract with the pseudo-state. It isn’t invoking its own national sovereign rights. The hydrocarbons are, in my opinion, an additional incentive and means for a solution that is beneficial to all Cypriots and to both communities.”