Following his meeting with the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos told the journalists that the Turkish Presindent can see very well that Greece is a secure and trustworthy neighbor.
He also underlined that the talks were carried out in a very good climate, indicating that the crisis in Greek-Turkish relations caused by Turkish violations in the Cypriot EE may be heading towards a resolution of sorts.
Below are Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos statements to, and responses to questions from, journalists following his meeting in Istanbul with the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday:
E. VENIZELOS: The meeting with President Erdogan was carried out in a very good climate, following the very substantial talks we had with my counterpart, Foreign Minister Cavusoglu, in Ankara. Of course, the key is the Cyprus issue and, more specifically, the ceasing of the violation of the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus; the presence of the research vessel in Cyprus’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
I think that solutions can be found that are fully compatible with international law and that respect the rights of the Republic of Cyprus, its existence, and allow for the reopening of the talks. This will also create a better climate in Greek-Turkish relations, while also having a stabilizing effect in the wider region, which is right now experiencing an unprecedented number of crises, from Gaza to Libya. So it is very important for Greece, Turkey, the Republic of Cyprus, for the two communities of Cyprus and for the wider region that we move ahead within this framework, which is very, very simple and very, very functional.
JOURNALIST: Mr. President, did you see Mr. Erdogan and the Turkish leadership as being willing to solve this problem, which, as you said, is the key?
E. VENIZELOS: President Erdogan is a political leader with a great deal of experience and staying power, as we have seen. He has dominated Turkish politics for so many years. He can see very well that Greece is a secure and trustworthy neighbour. Turkey has a crisis all along its borderline. So it is of very great importance that there be stability in Greek-Turkish relations, that there be a field of common initiatives. Naturally, we need a rule of reference, and the rule of reference can be none other than international law and, with regard to the specific issues, the International Law of the Sea.
JOURNALIST: Your said earlier that solutions can be found …
E. VENIZELOS: We discussed the framework within which Greece and Turkey can talk. Because we must respect, and we fully respect, the existence and sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, the role of the President of the Republic of Cyprus and the role of the two Communities. Thus, we talked on the level on which we can talk.
JOURNALIST: In Athens, do you believe that there will be some point of convergence – will you discuss these issues more substantially?
E. VENIZELOS: I believe that the High-Level Cooperation Council between the two countries will give us the opportunity to take important steps in the sectors of the economy and the social issues of concern to citizens. But there does not cease to be a hard core of issues. As you know, there is a legal dispute, the delimitation of the maritime zones between Greece and Turkey, but there is an agenda with many important pending issues that have been under discussion for decades. Progress needs to be made on these issues, and we are willing – always based on the protection of national interests and on International Law – to take steps in this direction.
JOURNALIST: A few words about the Greek community of Istanbul?
E. VENIZELOS: The Greek community of Istanbul is one of our fundamental priorities. Because the Greek community here functions as a guardian. The guardian of a vast history. A great tradition. The presence of the Greek community in Istanbul, in Imbros, in Tenedos, is something much more than a community that exists and sees its numbers falling. We’re talking here about memories that cannot be calculated based on numerical data.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, the Erdogan government has made some openings to the minorities, with our charitable foundation issues in particular, but in the past two years, you will know this: that they have frozen the elections of the charitable foundations and, again, there is a backsliding, that is.
E. VENIZELOS: All of these issues that concern the properties, that concern the protection of minorities, were raised. We do not raise them on the basis of reciprocity. Each state has the constitutional obligation and the obligation based on international law – and specifically the European Convention on Human Rights, or more specific treaties, like the Treaty of Lausanne – to respect minority rights and human rights in general. This is our position, which we have stated publicly and face to face.
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