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Minister of State: "We are prepared for any eventuality with Turkey"

Featured Minister of State: "We are prepared for any eventuality with Turkey"

"Greece was prepared for any eventuality." This message was sent, through the television frequency of ERT1, by the Minister of State, Giorgos Gerapetritis regarding the new unilateral Turkish energy. Which (action), he added, will clearly affect the initiation of exploratory contacts.

"We were prepared for any eventuality," the state minister assured while acknowledging that "when your alleged interlocutor is the President of Turkey, nothing is completely predictable." That is why, he continued, "we had planned in time to have in the Conclusions of the last European Council an admonition which is very specific: that the talks should take place in conditions of peace, otherwise the decision of the European Parliament will be reviewed by the December. Council ".

The action with "Oruc Reis" clearly affects the beginning of the exploratory contacts, G. Gerapetritis argued, as does the "thoughtless action" to open Varosha, the minister said, adding that "under the conditions that Turkey has imposed, it is impossible to have any conversation. And Greece set as an exclusive condition to enter into a debate based on international law only if there will be no action of an aggressive nature. "When you talk about the delimitation of maritime zones, one of the two parties cannot violate these very maritime zones," he clarified.
"We are convinced that we should discuss on the basis of international law," he said, "but if Turkey does not comply with this timetable, then the next steps set by the European Council will follow." he insisted. And, "we still believe that the only solution is a discussion, but the discussion under conditions of blackmail and threat is not going to be tolerated by the Hellenic Republic", G. Gerapetritis noted in high tones.

The issue will be discussed at the Summit, at the end of this week, after all, "the Greek Prime Minister clearly stated, and to Charles Michel, that the issue of Turkish aggression will be raised. "We all understand that sanctions are not an end in themselves but a means of forcing Turkey to sit at the table under conditions based on international law," he said.

Especially on the issue of sanctions, "Greek diplomacy has managed to keep sanctions on the table. The fact that the EU has already drawn up a menu of sanctions which includes very harsh threats against Turkey against both state structures and individuals is a very serious achievement ", he underlined that" European diplomacy set a limit at the end of December, obviously in case Turkey will then raise the issue of sanctions. "As much as we were in favor of discussions, such aggressive actions that undermine peace in the region will not be tolerated by either Greece or Europe," he added.