Athens , 31 August 2010

Main points:

(On tonight’s basketball game between Greece and Turkey):

·          Greece is one of the top basketball teams worldwide. This match is, I think, a unique chance for both teams to show that there are opportunities as far as Greek-Turkish rapprochement and friendship are concerned. […] It is a really important game for the leading place in their group, so there might be tension. It is certainly an important basketball game, there will be suspense.

 (on rapprochement with Turkey)

·          It is not a publicity stunt. We have said from the very first moment that one of our foreign policy’s main targets is close cooperation and rapprochement with Turkey.

·          In order to conduct an effective foreign policy on such issues, it is of course important to be able to develop a personal relationship. And I must say that from the outset I had the opportunity to develop an open personal relationship with Mr. Davutoglu.

·          There are ups and downs, positive moves and, unfortunately, negative moves. We want to try. We believe that there is an opportunity to do certain things in our relations, this is what we will follow, but we will not let anything drop under the table, wherever immediate reaction is needed with determination and clear words. This is the line and this is the line that we are going to follow.

 (On relations with Israel):

·          The issue of our relations and our rapprochement with Israel is a strategic move that was planned and it has nothing to do with the current tension, if you will, in relations between Israel and Turkey. But I repeat once again that it is self-evident that Greek diplomacy makes the most of any opportunity that arises and any opportunity we create ourselves.

Interview’s full text:

Mr. Arvanitis: We were saying this morning that current affairs, issues on the news today, debated issues include the meetings of Finance and Economy Ministry officials with business and employee representatives, current poll findings that support for political parties – all parties without exception - have dropped to very low levels, the Memorandum, the pessimism expressed by 80% of Greeks, the resignation of Ms. Siouti from her post at the Prime Minister’s office, and finally the basketball game between Turkey and Greece that will take place today in Istanbul.

Alternate Foreign Minister Droutsas is headed there today in what has been referred to as “basket diplomacy”. Fanis Papathanassiou is with us to tell us if the term is right.

Mr. Papathanasiou: Precisely, basket diplomacy. It is nice to get a phone call from your friend, the Foreign Minister of Turkey, telling you “my friend Dimitris, I found us good tickets to watch the game together.”

Mr. Arvanitis: So our question is, did it happen that way? Mr. Minister, good morning. Was this precisely the way things happened?

Mr. Droutsas: I received the phone call yesterday, I hope that the seats are good, Mr. Davutoglu will do everything for us to have a nice evening watching basketball, I think that this is an important game. We have all been following the FIBA World Championship.

Mr. Papathanasiou: It is of great interest because both teams want to secure the leading place in their group, having both won two matches so far.

Mr. Arvanitis: Mr. Droutsas is thinking of other things.

Mr. Papathanasiou: Of course, but – correct me if I’m wrong, Mr. Droutsas – there is an interest in basketball and of course what you and Mr. Davutoglu want is for “fair play” to prevail over any extremist voices by fans, so that we can enjoy a good basketball game.

Mr. Droutsas: This is a given fact. I must tell you that my wife’s brother – who really knows about basketball - told me “look, this is a truly important game, the leading place of the group is on the line, so there might be tension.” It is certainly an important basketball game, there will be suspense.

Mr. Arvanitis: Why did you, the two Foreign Ministers, choose to...

Mr. Droutsas: Let me tell you, this is precisely what I am coming at. I think that the World Basketball Championship – this tournament-institution held every four years - presents a unique opportunity. Greece is one of the leading teams in the world. This match is, I think, a unique chance for both teams to show that there are opportunities as far as Greek-Turkish rapprochement and friendship are concerned.

MS. M. Katsimh: Mr. Droutsas, did Mr. Davutoglu call you like he did when he came to Rhodes? We are witnessing this attack of friendship, publicity-wise.

Mr. Droutsas: This is not publicity. We have said from the very first moment that one of our foreign policy’s main targets is close cooperation and rapprochement with Turkey. Prime Minister Papandreou’s contribution to this is also well-known. This was self-evident to us. In order to conduct an effective foreign policy on such issues, it is of course important to be able to develop a personal relationship. And I must say from the very first moment that I had the opportunity to develop an open personal relationship with Mr. Davutoglu.

We started a few months ago at the beginning of the year in London with our first dinner together, where we really had an opportunity to discuss openly on several issues. It was there that we developed this relationship and I would just like to say that this is not publicity.

Of course, going to watch a basketball game together has a whole different dimension, but there is really an open relationship, a relationship of trust I would say, which we would both like to make the most of.

Mr. Papathanasiou: Whilst forging a personal relationship these past 9 months, have been ups and downs fluctuations in the two countries’ relations.                         On the one hand, you have had meetings - at least 6-7 times as far as I recall - some in a good , others in not such a good climate, given tensions regarding the Piri Reis and Cesme, but on the other hand, a continuous will on both sides to move forward. But what particularly struck me – correct me if I’m misquoting you – is the statement you made on 9 August from the island of Ro that everything is being taken into consideration and is open to reassessment as we move along the path of Greek-Turkish rapprochement. Has anything changed on that?

Mr. Droutsas: I think that I said something self-evident.. Everything is taken into account. As you said, there have been ups and downs in our relations, there are positive moments as we recently saw with the permission to celebrate mass at the Sümela Monastery, which was a positive element, important for Greek Orthodoxy, for the Hellenic nation. But there are also negative elements, negative experiences, the almost daily violations into Greek airspace, I am not hiding. And also this summer, the matter of the research vessel, Piri Reis, within our continental shelf for some limited period of time; all these are negative. There will be ups and downs, as you said.

Mr. Arvanitis: We read in the English versions of Turkish newspaper websites that the 12 miles no longer constitute a casus belli. Is this the case?

Mr. Droutsas: I will tell you. There are such journalist reports, such articles, but as I’ve said in the past, please don’t expect me to comment on journalist reports.

What I’m saying, however, is that there is a thought, a political will on the part of Turkey, and this is of course a positive step. But I wanted to stress, at the same time, that there should be no such issue, particularly at this day and age, at the times we live in, it is something inconceivable beforehand.

There should not even be such thing, particularly when we are talking about a European course, two partners. But I want to look at the positive side, that if indeed there is such a will, it is a positive will because apart from the substance, it plays a role in determining the atmosphere, the mood.

Mr. Papathanasiou: So there is an intention. But beyond we must note and we must see this will through an act of substance, there is a big gap. I think that this meeting is particularly interesting as it comes following the latest developments on cooperation between Greece and Israel on the occasion of the Israeli Prime Minister’s visit. So it is very interesting and as much as the Minister does not want to say it, there are many messages that have come out of this meeting, also directed towards Ankara.

So we must look at it within such a framework, we must put it in a general context; with this move, Greece made a dynamic entry in the policy it conducts in the broader region of the Eastern Mediterranean. There are of course risks, we should look at them in future, but on the other hand, there is a new picture in relations between Greece and Turkey and it is under this prism that this meeting will be held.

Mr. Droutsas: Let me stress once again that the issue of our relations and our rapprochement with Israel is a strategic move that was planned and it has nothing to do with the current tension, if you will, between Israel and Turkey. But I repeat once again: it is self-evident that Greek diplomacy makes the most of any opportunity that arises and any opportunity we create ourselves.

Now with regard to today’s meeting with Mr. Davutoglu, it will be held before the basketball game. You realize that this issue will prevail in our talks, but I would like to say that in our relations with Turkey, the policy that we have developed vis-à-vis Turkey has a very clear line. This is the policy we have been following.

As we said earlier, there are ups and downs, positive moves and unfortunately, negative moves. We are saying the following: we do not want to go into such a discussion. We want to try. We believe that there is an opportunity to do certain things in our relations, this is what we will follow, but we will not let anything drop under the table, wherever immediate reaction is needed with determination and clear words. This is the line and this is the line that we are going to follow.

Mr. Arvanitis: Let us wish you a good trip, Mr. Droutsas.

Mr. Droutsas: Allow me also to wish good luck to our basketball team and our players, I don’t know if I will be able to meet them tonight and of course I wouldn't want to disturb their preparations for the game.

And also say that I really admire these guys, they truly set the example for our youngsters, and this is very important. They offer us thrilling moments and boost our national confidence – particularly at these difficult times – and it will be truly an honour and great pleasure for me to watch them tonight.

Mr. Arvanitis: Have a good trip, Mr. Minister. Thank you very much.

Mr. Droutsas: Thank you.