The Greek Foreign Minister referred to the Cyprus issue in remarks he made immediately after his meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, at UN headquarters in New York, emphasizing that the process is “in full swing” and that the momentum built during Mr. Guterres’s tenure must not be lost.
G. Gerapetritis referred to the need to begin more formal discussions on the substance of the issue.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
“We must not lose the momentum that was built during António Guterres’s tenure,” he emphasized.
He stressed the need for everyone to respect the UN Security Council resolutions in order to reunify the island.
“We must work toward this. The resolutions of the United Nations Security Council are binding; they must be respected by all so that the island can finally be reunified,” emphasized G. Gerapetritis.
The Greek Foreign Minister sent a clear message regarding the defense of Greece’s positions on maritime zones, emphasizing that “As far as Greece is concerned, I want to be absolutely clear: Greece will not tolerate any illegality regarding maritime zones.”
“Maritime zones are not a bargaining chip. They are an arena in which international law must be enforced,” stressed George Gerapetritis.
As he noted, issues of maritime security were discussed during the meeting, with particular reference to illegal demarcations. “We must all realize that the seas and oceans are neither the privilege nor the private property of any one country,” he pointed out.
“There are rules governing relations between neighboring maritime states, and these rules must be respected,” he added, noting that most UN member states have acceded to the rules governing international maritime law.
Mr. Gerapetritis reiterated Greece’s commitment to international law as the only means of resolving disputes. “Greece has always insisted that neighboring countries should work together to resolve their disputes,” he stated, clarifying that this does not mean that aggressive actions contrary to international law can be tolerated.
Responding to a question about telephone conversations with his Egyptian counterpart and reports regarding Turkey’s moves toward Egypt, the minister emphasized the strategic and fraternal relationship between Greece and Egypt, which, as he noted, is progressing in all areas.
In this context, he pointed out that Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations stood beside him in New York during the announcement of the statement regarding the illegal and baseless Turkish-Libyan memorandum.
“We share a very strong conviction with Egypt regarding the universal application of international law,” he emphasized. He also warned that otherwise an extremely damaging situation would arise both for countries bordering the Mediterranean or other seas and for global trade and food security.
During the meeting with the Secretary-General, they also discussed the state of the UN and major international crises, with references to Ukraine, the Middle East, and Africa.
“The conclusion we reached together is that we are currently at the most critical turning point for global peace and prosperity since World War II,” said Mr. Gerapetritis.
He emphasized the need to make new decisions to de-escalate crises, end wars, and address the energy and food crises. He also stressed that it is “very important for the UN to remain at the forefront of efforts for global peace.”
“The peaceful resolution of disputes remains the most important achievement we have secured since World War II,” he said.
Source: CNA
