Athens, 20 December 2009

Journalist: Turkey seems to expand the agenda on any given opportunity by raising issues concerning Thrace. In your view, how should we address such issues?

Mr. Droutsas: I’m saying it once again and I will keep repeating it tirelessly: Greece does not discuss issues relating to Greek citizens with any foreign government. The current government has made this clear from the outset no matter what Turkey, Turkish officials –even the Turkish Prime Minister – they can say whatever they like and as often as they like. It would be good if, here in Greece, we listened more to what the Greek government is saying rather than what Turkey and the media are saying – particularly in Turkey – .

Journalist: Shouldn’t Greece now conduct a foreign policy with clear and long-term goals rather than just play defence? 

Mr. Droutsas: This is precisely our message: this is the core of the government’s policy. When you play defence – as you said – you let others set the content, the framework and the rules of the game, and then you’re handicapped. From now on, we are the ones determining the agenda, we are showing the way. We are making the most of every opportunity, we are creating opportunities ourselves, we are taking initiatives, we are making optimistic plans. We are conducting our foreign policy self-confidently. Greece must be one step ahead. There are pending matters; matters that require significant diplomatic capital. This is why we must be active, smart and fast. We live in a difficult region and if we want to – and we do, this is our goal – we can regain Greece’s leading role but we must play aggressively. The phobic and introvert Greece that was possessed by complexes and was absent and silent now belongs to the past . We are creating a country that takes part with its vision, its voice, and plays a role in international developments.

Journalist: For the past decade, there have been ongoing discussions on confidence-building measures (CBMs). Have they benefited our country or are we legitimizing Turkish provocations?

Mr. Droutsas: When we launched this process there was a clear timetable and we had created clear conditions, even for putting pressure on Turkey. The Helsinki decisions called for results by 2004.

Unfortunately, this date expired without the previous government capitalising on it when it should have done. Major, historical opportunities were lost back then. Our objective through the exploratory talks was not merely to give the impression that “something is going on, something is moving ahead”. This is precisely what benefited only the Turkish side, without putting any pressures on it, without obliging it to take steps. It is, therefore, our priority to give new impetus to these contacts. We want to reach an outcome in a reasonable amount of time; with careful steps, serious preparation, full commitment to our goal: the delimitation of the continental shelf in the Aegean Sea. And if this is not possible, then go to The Hague. Greece has nothing to fear – and I stress this.

Journalist: What have we gained from the Council conclusions given that the EU has not imposed any sanctions on Ankara? Do you think a solution could be reached on the Cyprus issue by April?

Mr. Droutsas: At the Council, we put some things back in the right perspective. It is clear simply from the reactions of Turkey’s supporters that Greece and Cyprus – with a single voice – achieved our goals. We consolidated our positions and our interests in an even clearer manner in the Council conclusions. And Turkey will come across these conclusions with every step it takes on its accession course.

With regard to the Cyprus issue, Greece and Cyprus want a solution now. But we want a just, viable and functional solution; a “Cypriot and European” solution. Artificial time-frames are unacceptable. The progress of the negotiations is not what we would have liked and this is clearly due to a lack of political will on the Turkish Cypriot side and, of course, Ankara. President Dimitris Christofias is struggling to reach a solution on the Cyprus issue and has the full support of Greece. Turkey must finally let Mr. Talat do the same.    

Journalist: Are we in the corner on the Skopje name issue?

Mr. Droutsas: Absolutely no. We have clear positions, the “national red line”. It is an important achievement that the vast majority of the country’s political forces have reached a consensus on it. It boosts our self-confidence. It gives us power in the negotiations. George Papandreou’s initiative to have a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Skopje showed to the whole world who is the one who really wants the solution and who is working in order to achieve it. We have repeatedly said: we extend a hand of friendship to Skopje, to our neighbouring people; we want to cooperate, we want to truly assist them on their European course. But this presupposes the prior resolution of the name issue and we call upon Skopje to come to the UN negotiations with a sincerely constructive spirit.

Journalist: You said you want a consensus on our foreign policy. How do you see the main opposition party’s new leadership under Mr. Antonis Samaras and the rhetoric of the LAOS party?

Mr. Droutsas: The people have given us a clear mandate for a sea change in the way foreign policy is conducted. We have given an indication of that from the outset. We gave new impetus to all the issues of concern to us. Our priority is a consensus on foreign policy issues. It is an important ingredient of success and power for our country. The country’s conservative forces are going through a period of upheaval. It is not my place to comment on issues relating to the management of conservative political parties. I simply hope that the struggle between them will not affect our diplomacy and our national interests. I simply hope that those who prevail are not the ones who make the loudest noise and use easy slogans. Because then the ground for consensus will be unfortunately lost under the extremist voices and the pompous rhetoric.