Statement from Greece on Turkey and 'normalization'

When asked about Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's warnings regarding the GCA being used as a base for Israel's attacks on Gaza, Gerapetritis argued that these statements were not constructive.

Gerapetritis claimed that the GCA is carrying out important humanitarian work in the region and is not involved in military operations, and that European Union (EU) countries also supported the GCA on this issue at the EU Foreign Ministers' meeting held in Luxembourg yesterday.

The Greek Minister said, "As both Greece and (Southern) Cyprus, we do not accept suggestions or advice. We will continue on the path we have drawn to be able to talk to all parties and to make a constructive contribution to humanitarian aid as well as the establishment of peace."

"WE ARE STRIVING WITH ALL OUR MIGHT"

When asked whether normalization in Turkish-Greek relations is possible before the Cyprus issue is resolved, Gerapetritis stated, "Our effort to move forward in calmer waters with Turkey is an effort to ensure peace and prosperity in our region. I believe that normalization in Turkish-Greek relations will also make a positive contribution to the Cyprus issue."

Gerapetritis expressed that Athens knows Turkey's fundamental position on the Cyprus issue and is aware that this will not change.

Stating that the Cyprus issue is at the top of Greece's foreign policy agenda, Gerapetritis said, "We are striving with all our might for the resumption of negotiations regarding the Cyprus issue."

Emphasizing that keeping communication channels open between Turkey and Greece is important for creating a climate in which a beneficial development can be achieved on the Cyprus issue, Gerapetritis said, "Turkey must take on a constructive role in this matter so that negotiations can begin. This is the path of logic. There can be no solution without dialogue."

HAKAN FİDAN HAD WARNED GREECE

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in his assessment of the agenda on a television channel yesterday, noted the following regarding the GCA being part of the operations against Gaza:

The fact that this place has turned into an operations center... After October 7, after the first operations launched by Israel, we have always seen through intelligence reports that the Greek Cypriot administration is a base used by certain countries, especially in operations against Gaza. That intelligence flights and military flights towards Gaza are constantly being carried out there. When we brought this up, they suddenly declared it a logistics base for Gaza.

Actually, we said even then that this logistics base operation has frankly turned into an activity that hides the fact that it is a military base. The use of this place and the Greek islands for operations towards the Middle East will benefit neither the Greek Cypriot administration nor Greece.

Our advice, which we also told the Greeks, is to stay away from these places and these matters because when you get involved in this way, when you take sides in the ongoing wars in the Middle East, this fire will come and find you too. We are already in the same geography; it will come and find us too.

Fidan had emphasized that regional actors should see that there is serious militarization there and that this should be prevented.