Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis made special reference to the climate crisis and the need to deal with it without delay and in a coordinated manner by all countries, in view of the UN Climate Conference, during his speech at the UN Council in New York Friday night.

Among other things, Mitsotakis spoke about the price paid by Greece and the Mediterranean in the summer, as well as the EUMED decisions and the Athens Declaration, but also the ambitious goals of the Greek government for the transition to green policies.

“People can face the challenges, we proved it with Covid” stressed the PM, referring to the need for a common stance of the international community in the face of the climate crisis. “The will of our government to deal effectively with the climate crisis is non-negotiable,” he said.

In his speech, the Prime Minister sent a message to Turkey that the only way to delimit maritime zones is a common framework of rules, namely International Law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). “We are always living with the casus belli over our heads,” he said.

Greece, he stressed, always seeks open channels of communication with Turkey, but the intensity of the summer of 2020 should not be repeated: “Greece will continue to defend its sovereignty and rights, but at the same time will seek ways of cooperation with Turkey,” he underlined. “Turkey must understand that this aggression undermines stability and prosperity in the region,” he said.

Regarding the Cyprus issue, Mitsotakis made reference to the delinquent behaviour of Turkey towards the Republic of Cyprus, both in its maritime zones and in Varosha. He did not hide his disappointment for the stagnation in the settlement of the Cyprus issue, emphasising the firm position of Athens: “Solution to the Cyprus issue based on the decisions of the UN Security Council for a solution of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation. Any discussion of a two-state solution is not acceptable,” he said.

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