ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ.
Europe has taken a step forward, while the threat of sanctions against Turkey is the best tool, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Friday after the end of the European Council in Brussels. He also welcomed the breakthrough over the EU budget.
“Finally, after six months, following July 2020 when the decision was made in principle on the budget for the next six years and the Recovery Fund, we have resolved the last outstanding issues that existed and thus finally unlocked 72 billion euros for our country,” Mitsotakis said, adding: “For months now, there has been a problem arising from the fact that Poland and Hungary have raised substantial issues regarding the interpretation of the provision on the rule of law.
“This issue was resolved after painstaking negotiations undertaken by the German Presidency and thus we enter 2021 with the final budget of the Union for the next six years and with everyone in position, so that we can run the procedures for the Recovery Fund as fast as possible.” He also noted that Greece was one of the first countries to submit its draft plan to the European Commission, which was received with very flattering comments.
Mitsotakis: Europe once again ‘taking a lead role’ on the climate emergency
The climate crisis was another major issued discussed at the European Council, with European leaders arriving at an agreement for a 55 pct reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 after 12 hours of gruelling negotiations, the prime minister said.
He noted that this succeeded in overcoming even the last objections of some member-states so that Europe “was once again dynamically taking a lead role in this global effort.”
Mitsotakis also referred to the “Oikonomo-Autonomo” programme announced in Greece two days ago, which has started running from Friday: “It is an extremely ambitious three-billion-euro programme that will allow more than 150,000 households to upgrade their houses’ energy efficiency and have lower electricity bills but also a better quality of life, creating many new jobs and supporting the domestic construction materials’ market,” he said.
There will be further decisions on Turkey in March if it continues to behave this way
Mitsotakis, commenting on the European Council’s conclusions regarding Turkey, assured reporters that they can expect the EU to take “further decisions” in March if Turkey’s behaviour does not change.
“The pressure must work in such a way as to convince Turkey that it stands to gain by stopping its provocative activities in the Greek Exclusive Economic Zone and …[sitting down to] exploratory contacts to delineate the continental shelf and maritime zones,” Mitsotakis said.
He pointed out that the Turkish research vessel “Oruc Reis” had continued its activities at a time when Turkey was saying that it was ready to begin talks, stressing the need for “consistency and continuity” and expressing hope that the European Council’s conclusions “are not misinterpreted by Turkey”.
He also noted that a resumption of exploratory contacts “does not depend on Greece but primarily on Turkey,” adding that Greece was ready to talk “from the moment that tension de-escalates.”
Mitsotakis said the conclusions also reflect Europe’s desire for closer coordination with the United States on a series of issues, such as the new president’s statement about a return to the Paris agreement, while also referring to Washington’s stance toward Turkey.
“Both in the US and the EU, the opinion is forming that Turkey generates more problems than it solves,” he said.
Mitsotakis said the result of the summit was in line with the decisions taken by European leaders in October when they said that decisions will be taken if there is a further escalation by Turkey: “These decisions were taken. Things did not go in the direction we hoped for. The EU took the first decisions and set in motion the next steps that it may need to take.”
He pointed out that this was the first time that the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and the European Commission have been given express authorisation to draw up a document listing options and tools, with a clear time frame.
He noted that Athens’ strategy was fully aligned with that of the Cyprus Republic and this “allowed us to achieve this result that is beneficial for Greece, Cyprus and the EU.”
The prime minister admitted that not all countries viewed Turkey in the same way but noted that those previously opposed to any sanctions on Turkey had revised their opinion to some extent, adding that diplomacy was a “long game”.
“Greece is proceeding with seriousness, responsibility, self-confidence and has built a front of alliances. It is not enough to believe you are right but to be able to convince others,” he added.
Regarding Greece’s request for an arms embargo, Mitsotakis said that this was pressed hard but not an issue to be raised at the European Council since it concerned individual member-states on a bilateral level. He pointed out that, at a time when Turkey was behaving in this way, exports of weapons systems to that country were contrary to the principle of solidarity and undermined the interests of the EU, while awareness of this was growing within member-states.
Outlining the Council’s conclusions on Turkey, Mitsotakis highlighted the decision to expand the list of persons and entities involved in the illegal gas explorations in the Eastern Mediterranean, noting that this had not been possible in October, the instructions given to Borrell and the European Commission for a report on the entire range of EU-Turkey relations, as well as possible tools and options outlined in the October decision, which included sanctions against Turkey. He also pointed to the EU’s very clear condemnation of Turkish provocations in the Eastern Mediterranean toward both Greece and Cyprus and the call to show consistency and continuity in the direction of de-escalation after the departure of the Oruc Reis, so that exploratory contacts can begin. “At the same time, included as a condition for continuing exploratory contacts, if these begin, is refraining from all illegal activities – a condition obviously set by Greece,” he added.
