Kasselakis: SYRIZA steadfastly supports dialogue with Turkiye on the basis of international law

Main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Stefanos Kasselakis had a meeting on Friday with Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, in which he was briefed on the imminent Greece-Turkiye High-level Cooperation Council. According to a party announcement, Kasselakis expressed the party’s steadfast support for dialogue with Turkiye based on international law, with the aim of reducing tension, building confidence and promoting cooperation in a series of sectors.

Additionally, the announcement said, Kasselakis reiterated that “this dialogue, in order to serve Greece’s interests and promote peace in the region, should proceed on the basis of a specific strategy with a beginning, middle and end.”

Specifically he that the dialogue should “firstly, be based on clear red lines in the negotiation: [regarding] the demilitarisation of the islands, the country’s sovereignty and ruling out any discussion on joint exploitation or the waiving of Greece’s right to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles. Secondly, it should have as a clear prospect the delimitation of the continental shelf /EEZ at the Hague. Thirdly, it must clearly define the terms under which the exploratory talks will proceed and, fourthly, make use of [Greece’s] alliances so that Turkey is pressed and commits in the long-term to Greek-Turkish and Euro-Turkish dialogue. So it is unable, in other words, to return to tension after using the upcoming meeting to secure the benefits that it seeks.”