Greece emphasizes dialogue with Turkiye, international law in foreign policy outline
Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis on Wednesday reaffirmed Athens’ commitment to high-level dialogue with Turkiye, stressing that bilateral issues, including maritime boundaries, are managed directly between the two countries without third-party mediation.
Speaking publicly, Gerapetritis said a high-level bilateral cooperation council meeting with Turkiye is planned for the first half of February, signaling Athens’ priority on maintaining continuous communication with its neighbor. While differences remain—particularly on maritime limits—he emphasized that discussions are conducted within a framework of dialogue, diplomacy, and respect for international law.
Beyond Greek–Turkiye relations, Gerapetritis addressed a range of foreign policy issues, including Greenland, a proposed international Peace Council, and Greece’s future territorial waters.
On Greenland, he underlined Athens’ strong strategic ties with the United States and warned that any threat to the sovereignty of an EU member state would prompt a united European response.
Regarding the proposed Peace Council initiative, the minister noted that Greece, in alignment with most EU states, has expressed reservations due to discrepancies with the United Nations Security Council resolution on Gaza.
On territorial waters, Gerapetritis reaffirmed Greece’s reserved right to extend its waters up to 12 nautical miles under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, noting that any decision will be made unilaterally and submitted to parliament when the timing is deemed appropriate.
