Greece wants Turkey as a partner but will not accept attempts to dominate the Eastern Mediterranean or undermine the sovereign rights of neighbouring countries, Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou said during a discussion at the London School of Economics (LSE). Drawing parallels between what is happening in Ukraine and Cyprus she also noted that Greece would never accept territorial changes resulting from military aggression
Speaking at an event jointly organised by the LSE European Institute and the Hellenic Observatory, Papadopoulou stressed that Greece remains committed to dialogue with Turkey but insisted that international law must form the basis for resolving disputes.
We want Turkey as a partner, but nobody in the region wants Turkey or anybody else as a master, she said, warning that attempts by any country to dominate the region would be ‘a recipe for disaster.’
Referring to the controversial maritime agreement between Turkey and Libya, Papadopoulou strongly criticised the memorandum for disregarding Greece’s maritime rights, particularly those of Crete.
We are not talking about a rock in the Aegean or a small island. We are talking about Crete, a big island, she said, arguing that the agreement effectively treats Greece as though it does not exist.
She stressed that the memorandum violates international law and is incompatible with the European Union’s position, warning that such actions undermine efforts to improve relations between Athens and Ankara.
Papadopoulou also drew a direct parallel between Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Turkey’s military invasion and occupation of part of Cyprus in 1974, describing the Cypriot experience as a defining factor in Greece’s foreign policy.
‘Nobody in Europe knows the results and the impact of military invasion and occupation better than Greece. We had the Cyprus traumatic experience,’ she said.
She stressed that Greece would never accept territorial changes resulting from military aggression, describing this principle as an ‘absolute red line’ for Athens.
According to Papadopoulou, Greece’s support for Ukraine was not simply a political choice but an obligation rooted in its commitment to international law and its historical experience of the Cyprus issue.