Greece is pushing for the establishment of a multilateral framework called “5×5”, involving five countries (Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Turkey, Libya) and five thematic areas—migration, maritime zone protection, connectivity, civil protection, and marine environment protection. The invitation to Ankara is expected in December, and if accepted, meetings at the level of foreign ministers or technical teams will follow to define the next steps.
Statements from Foreign Minister Gerapetritis
Foreign Minister Gerapetritis emphasized:“Greece currently has both the means and the willingness to take a leading role in the Eastern Mediterranean, and I believe it will be to our benefit.”
He added:“The era requires regional cooperation… Clearly… it is not easy to implement, but the problems are not insurmountable.”
And on bilateral versus multilateral dialogue:“Regional cooperation does not operate as mutually exclusive to bilateral dialogue… especially with Turkey… we continue the dialogue.”
Geopolitical Dimension and Objectives
The 5×5 initiative emerges amid rapid shifts in the Eastern Mediterranean’s geopolitical landscape. Greece seeks to become a regional hub for cooperation and security, leveraging energy, connectivity, and maritime zones.
Challenges include:
- Turkey’s stance: Ankara has not ratified UNCLOS and maintains claims regarding maritime zones and EEZs.
- Libya’s political instability: Multiple centers of power make stable bilateral agreements difficult.
Greek diplomacy aims to move the maritime delimitation issue from bilateral to regional management, consistent with international law.
Implementation Challenges
- Political Will: As Gerapetritis noted, all parties must be willing: “By the end of the year, contacts will be completed to assess the readiness of all sides.”
- Thematic convergence: Covering migration, environment, connectivity, maritime zones, and civil protection increases complexity but also strategic potential.
- Bilateral vs. multilateral logic: Athens clarified that regional cooperation does not replace bilateral dialogue, especially with Turkey, where EEZ and continental shelf delimitation remain unresolved.
- Law and sovereignty: Greece conditions the initiative on respect for international law, state sovereignty, and EU acquis—still disputed by Ankara.
The 5×5 initiative is more than a diplomatic effort—it is a strategic move by Greece to strengthen its role in the Eastern Mediterranean, connecting security, energy, and maritime zones. Its success depends on negotiation skill, implementation speed, and the ability to shift the maritime delimitation debate from bilateral disputes to a functional regional framework.
Source: pagenews.gr