Athens, 29 May 2008
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: On 1 June, Greece takes up the chairmanship of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative. This initiative is a framework for consultations and collaboration between Greece, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Serbia in the sectors of economy, transport, tourism, sustainable development, protection of the environment, education and culture.
The Adriatic-Ionian Initiative was institutionalised at the Conference on development and security in the Adriatic and Ionian Seas; this Conference took place in Ancona, in May 2000, and produced the Ancona Declaration, which is the Initiative’s charter, in a manner of speaking.
Greece will hold the chairmanship from 1 June 2008 to 1 June 2009. The Chairmanship is currently held by Croatia, and Greece’s chairmanship will be followed by that of Italy. The Greek Chairmanship’s priorities include the setting up of a permanent secretariat, cooperation on fighting wildfires, and the promotion of tourism through supporting small and medium-sized tourism enterprises.
Regarding Foreign Minister Ms. Bakoyannis’ programme, today, as you know, at 09:30, she will officially open the proceedings of the International Conference on “Climate Change and Human Security,” which is being organised by the Foreign Ministry within the framework of the Greek Chairmanship of the Human Security Network. The Conference opens today and will run through tomorrow, 30 May, at the Athens Concert Hall.
Under the auspices of the Foreign Ministry and on the initiative of Foreign Minister Ms. Dora Bakoyannis, an International Conference for women entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa, entitled “Next Generation Initiative: Local Business for Global Rights – Middle East Regional Forum of Local And Regional Women Entrepreneurs”, will take place in Lagonissi on 2-3 June 2008.
The conference is being organised within the framework of the Women Leaders’ Working Group.
The Group, which began in 2006 with the aim of strengthening the position of women all over the world, is participated in by high-ranking women officials from all countries.
The Group meets regularly, and the meeting in Athens – which follows similar meetings held in New York and Vienna in 2007 – is taking place within the framework of a more general activation of our country in the region of the Middle East and North Africa. Additional information on this Conference will be distributed to you.
On Wednesday, 4 June, at 12:00, Ms. Bakoyannis will receive Chicago Mayor Mr. Richard Daley at the Foreign Ministry.
Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Valinakis will participate on 4 June in the session of the Special Parliamentary Committee for examining the draft law on the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. On Thursday, 5 June, he will travel to Algeria to participate in the proceedings of the 15th Ministerial Meeting of the Mediterranean Forum, which will take place in Algiers on 5 and 6 June.
At 12:30 today, Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Doukas will meet at the Foreign Ministry with the chairman and members of the board of the Athens Stock Exchange Members Association. On Friday, 30 May, at 09:00, he will address the Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Human Security Network, at the Athens Concert Hall. Finally, from 1 to 3 June, he will carry out an official visit to Moscow, heading a large Greek business mission.
On Saturday, 31 May, Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Kassimis will be in Russia to participate in the meeting of the Coordinating Council of the regional Council of Hellenes Abroad of the countries of the former Soviet Union. This meeting will take place on 31 May and 1 June. On Monday, 2 June, Mr. Kassimis will attend an event on “Greek-American friendship and education”, which is being organized by the Glyfada chapter of AHEPA, at the old parliament building. Finally, on 4 June, he will give a welcome speech at a luncheon being hosted by the Greek National Committee of Unesco, on “The role of women in social transformation”.
Any questions?
Mr. Kalarrytis: Regarding yesterday’s incident in Washington, where the Greek and Cypriot delegations withdrew from the conference on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons because Skopje had been invited as the “Republic of Macedonia”. A comment on that – and a second question: Why weren’t journalists notified of the incident?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Greece’s stance and this particular decision confirms the consistency and credibility of Greece’s policy, which is based on the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.
Regarding your second question, I must admit that I don’t fully understand whether you are complaining to the Foreign Ministry because it didn’t notify you of something that was covered today by nearly all Greek newspapers.
Mr. Kalarrytis: Shouldn’t all journalists have been informed of this incident? It was serious.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I see what you are saying, and I recognise the need for everyone to be informed. As you can see, however, this matter was covered, in essence, from Washington, and I noted that is was covered by a major portion of the Greek press. I think that is a sincere answer that covers the matter.
Mr. Meletis: Mr. Spokesman, I would like to ask whether there has been any communication – when Ms. Bakoyannis last communicated with her U.S. counterpart Ms. Rice, whether she will have the opportunity to meet with Ms. Rice next week at Lagonisi. And as I heard you comment on the Greece stance, my question is whether you want to comment on the stance of the U.S. side, which changed the name on the card to “Macedonia”.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I don’t remember when they last communicated with one another. In this specific instance, I have no information regarding communication of the Minister with her U.S. counterpart. As for the meeting on 2 and 3 June, Ms. Rice will be unable to attend. The U.S. with be represented by one of Ms. Rice’s advisors on these issues.
Regarding the U.S. stance on the participation of our neighbouring country in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), the Greek stance is that the PSI is a multilateral initiative based on the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1540. Consequently, what the UN has said in previous Resolutions concerning the international name of FYROM holds for this multilateral meeting. That is, Resolutions 817 and 846.
It is clear that the respective positions of Greece and the U.S. administration diverge on this point.
Mr. Meletis: And practically speaking, what is the result? Do we have a withdrawal from the PSI, or did they just walk out of the given meeting? Whether you can clarify that for us – that is, will the talks continue on the Agreement, on the inspections? Are we participating in the PSI or are we pulling out?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Greece sees this particular initiative as being very important, and we are very interested in participating, of course. At the same time, Athens has the position that you are aware of regarding how our neighbouring country can be represented, and under what name, at multilateral meetings.
Mr. Santamouris: According to the reports from the state agency from the U.S., and according to the State Department reply, this meeting was not official. We obviously argue that it was official, given that it is a follow-up to a specific UN resolution. If we are right and the U.S. is wrong, this means that we have a new round of pressure on Greece, given that they state that any solution agreed upon between the two sides will be recognised. Your view on that, please.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: As far as I know, the U.S. position has not shifted. Yesterday’s incident cannot lead one to conclude that there has been a shift from the initial U.S. position. I remind you that this position is that any agreement reached within the framework of the ongoing process within the framework of the UN will be accepted by the U.S.
This U.S. position concerning the resolution of the problem holds. But there is no solution at this time.
Mr. Santamouris: Excuse me, did you say that “there is an unfinished negotiation process”?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I did not use the term “unfinished”. Beyond that, of course there is an ongoing negotiation process, and I am obviously referring to that being carried out under Mr. Nimetz.
Mr. Athansopoulos: On the same subject, as the Greek side has welcomed – always within the framework of the negotiation process under Mr. Nimetz – U.S. assistance, how impartial can U.S. assistance be following yesterday’s incident.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Let’s clarify a few things. Our stance on this is that if and when a sincere willingness to support or encourage the Nimetz process is expressed – the Nimetz process being for us the principal and sole official negotiation process – this will be acceptable to us.
Beyond that, as to whether or not what happened yesterday impacts our stance, I will say that this stance of ours depends in a given case on how this desire to assist the process is shown. But the general stance I referred to just now stands.
Mr. Kottaridis: In Skopje, in recent days, we have had a barrage of statements against Greece, culminating in yesterday’s statements from Prime Minister Gruevski. Given that, as the opinion polls indicate, he is a shoe-in for Sunday’s elections, do you think there is still hope for this stance to change, or is there a way for the two sides to sit at the discussion table again?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: The negotiation process within the framework of the UN is continuing. When we have a collocutor from the other side – I mean a government in our neighbouring country – Greece will of course be present in the process taking place in the framework under Mr. Nimetz in the effort to find a mutually acceptable solution. This is Greece’s firm pursuit and strategic choice.
Beyond that, as concerns the statements that have been made by politicians, by the political leadership as a whole, in our neighbouring country during the run-up to the elections, we have unswervingly honoured our decision not to comment, not to monitor, not to be dragged in to the barren logic of statements and counter-statements during the long run-up to elections in our neighbouring country.
I will do the same today. I will respect this position, awaiting – of course – the elections on Sunday and the results.
Mr. Kottaridis: Do you share the concerns of international organizations regarding the manner in which Sunday’s elections will be carried out?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I will not comment before the election process is completed and we have the results.
Whatever we have to say, we will say it after the elections.
Of course, just like the international community and the competent international organizations, we are closely monitoring the course and evolution of the pre-election process in our neighbouring country. In fact, there are relevant interim reports, like the OSCE report, which was published recently.
As I said, we will take a stance when we have taken into consideration the conclusions of the international observers who are monitoring the election process in FYROM, given that these elections – like all of the previous elections in FYROM – are being carried out under international observation.
Mr. Kalarrytis: Regarding the item in Eleftherotypia on an incident in Evros – that the Turks tried to pre-empt the negotiations on the delimitation of the border at the river by placing Turkish flags on islets in the river.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I am aware of the article you are referring to, which is entitled “murky information”; information that does not hold water.
Mr. Kalarrytis: There was no such incident? No such thing every happened?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I answered with regard to the specific article.
Mr. Kalarrytis: Are there other, similar incidents? Has it happened there, anyway?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: In Evros, due to the needs created by the flow of the river, and particularly conditions in the winter months, certain projects are required from time to time – technical tasks carried out by both sides.
It has been determined that projects of this nature are carried out in accordance with a number of Greek-Turkish bilateral protocols. Within this framework, due to the flow of the river water, certain problems are created from time to time and are resolved through discussions and technical procedures on a local level between the competent prefectures: the Prefectures of Central and Eastern Macedonia on the Greek side, and the Province of Edirne on the Turkish side. That is something that happens from time to time – as I said, it is handled on that level.
Mr. Meletis: I would like to ask specifically. In April, was there an incident in Evros with the islets? Whether unilateral moves were made by the Turkish side with projects in the old Evros river-bed. Whether there was a reaction and instructions were requested by the Prefecture, because when we signed these agreements, Prefects weren’t elected officials in Greece. Now they are elected in Greece – they are part of the power structure, if you get my drift. In any case, I want to ask whether instructions were requested by the Prefecture of Alexandroupolis on handling the case, and whether demarches were made to stop the projects being carried out unilaterally in the Evros river-bed.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: There was a problem of the nature you described towards the end of April, and it was handled and is being handled on a local level between Prefectures. At this time it is in the process of being regulated.
Mr. Meletis: Did Ms. Bakoyannis raise this issue with Mr. Babacan when they met?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: As I said, regarding these kinds of matters, which occur frequently due to the flow of water, there is discussion and it is handled on a local level, on the level of Prefectures. I have nothing further to add.
Mr. Meletis: Mr. Spokesman, you’re saying that for a month there was no resolution to a problem that … Excuse me, let me ask something and I will stop here. It’s the flow of the river, but not the flow alone. It’s the flow with human intervention – there was human intervention from the Turkish side.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: It’s the flow of water, too, that causes problems.
Mr. Meletis: … We are well aware, Mr. Spokesman, of what problems are created and who creates the problems …
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: In my answer, Mr. Meletis, I didn’t issue a pardon to anyone.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: .. if the Evros dried up tomorrow, the problem wouldn’t be resolved, Mr. Spokesman. That’s what I want to say, or if it didn’t rain very much, anyway. I want to ask: Given that this problem has not been resolved between the elected Prefect and his appointed counterpart across the river, didn’t Ms. Bakoyannis – as this concerns a border line – raise this with her counterpart when they met? That’s what I’m asking. This issue wasn’t raised, that issue wasn’t raised. What precisely was discussed during this meeting?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: In a general and broad political discussion, issues that are the subject of technical talks on a local level – on a Prefectural level – are not raised.
Mr. Fourlis: First of all, I would like a clarification. Whether following Bucharest there has been any telephone contact between Ms. Bakoyannis and Ms. Rice.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Not as far as I know.
Mr. Fourlis: Fine. The second thing I want to ask is: Within the framework of harmonious cooperation with the Defense Ministry, I assume you have something new to tell us regarding the results of Mr. Grapsas’ visit …
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I know that the Defense General Staff issued a relevant announcement today. I have nothing to add.
Mr. Symeonidis: It’s very general …
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Please address yourselves to the competent source for further clarification on the announcement. I’m not the one to analyze the announcement. It is outside my competency.
Mr. Symeonidis: You referred to it.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I refer to it as a stance from the competent agency. I can do nothing more.
Mr. Fourlis: Anyway, since you say it was very general.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Your colleague said it was very general.
Mr. Fourlis: Is there any comment on the results?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: The only thing I have to say is that within the framework of the policy being followed by Greece, we believe that these meetings are useful. They have a specific purpose: to assist the efforts Greece is making towards the normalization of Greek-Turkish relations. Beyond that, I repeat that I will not make a comment outside my competency.
Mr. Tachtsidis: Mr. Spokesman, what efforts have been made, are being made, and are going to be made to resolve the problems of the Greek community in FYROM?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: In general, when there are problems for Greek citizens or ethnic Greeks – when they are facing specific problems, the Foreign Ministry steps in to resolve them. Are you referring to something specific?
Mr. Tachtsidis: News items and reports have been published regarding the problems that exist. Learning the language, Greek history, education, provision of Greek education – I have made personal efforts on this count.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: To the extent that there are specific matters and specific problems, they are always looked into.
Mr. Tachtsidis: Right.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: But as I said, officially I have no knowledge of some specific requests or other problems that have been forwarded to us from there.
Mr. Santamouris: In the statements on the first day of Mr. Grapsas’ visit, following his meeting with General Buyukanit, the Turkish commander in chief stated that if we, the military, ensure a minimum of security, then it will be easier for the politicians to have a better dialogue. The question is: How do we define the minimum security in question? The second question is: In what area can this dialogue improve if this minimum security is attained? Thank you.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: You realise that words and phrasing are important, and at this time I don’t have the precise text of Mr. Buyukanit’s statements with me. As for the general philosophy, this position is a position that underscores the obvious. I have no comment to make on the obvious. Beyond that, obvious statements and positions must transubstantiate into actions.
Mr. Santamouris: Obviously, that isn’t a comment.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I said that it refers to the obvious and I added that stating the obvious is good and useful. But it is more useful for such statements to be put into practice.
Mr. Athanasopoulos: On the same subject. Could you make it a little clearer precisely what is obvious? Because I understand obvious to be something other than what Mr. Buyukanit’s statements were.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: What is obvious is that when there is a climate of trust on this level, a climate of security, it always helps things along. As a general position, no one can object to this general statement. I added that it would be good for these general statements to be followed by specific actions.
Mr. Symeonidis: Mr. Spokesman, do you believe that the provocative overflight two days before Mr. Grapsas’ visit to Ankara – a Turkish aircraft over Farmakonisi, at an altitude of 100 metres – helped the result of the meeting between the two sides?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: That happened on Friday. The very next day, Saturday, an urgent demarche was made by our Embassy to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
Mr. Symeonidis: No, I’m saying whether it helped the meeting. I’m not talking about the overflight, for which a demarche is standing practice.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: An urgent demarche was made the next day, Saturday.
Mr. Symeonidis: That is standing practice, isn’t it? But I’m talking about the result of the meeting. I’m referring to a concern of my own, whether perhaps such a meeting should not have taken place when there is a lack of trust on the other side.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: First of all, it’s a hypothetical question, because the meeting did take place. Secondly, we believe that meetings must take place, and this meeting took place within the framework I set out earlier. Within the framework of the efforts and conscious will that Greece has to make efforts in the direction of normalization and, eventually, complete normalization of Greek-Turkish relations.
Mr. Fourlis: I just want to clear up two things. One is whether, as you said, these meetings are taking place within the framework of an effort towards improvement and this pursuit exists, etc. – I assume that the Foreign Ministry, as the principal agency for handling foreign policy should know whether there was progress in this particular visit and improvement in any area or on any level.
That is, I would be surprised if you didn’t have more to say, or you hadn’t been informed about what happened by the Defense Ministry. Because, I must say, that wouldn’t be very reasonable, particularly when the visit – I’m helping you now – was preceded by a number of articles, whatever. But whether or not you have anything further to say is your business.
And the other thing I want to ask is whether you think that since January, when the Prime Minister went to Ankara, when you told us – though I think unofficially, I must say, as an assessment – that within the next six months it would become clear whether there was a margin, strong will, for significant progress on Greek-Turkish issues. As the six months are just coming to an end – that is, at the end of June – I would like to ask whether, based on what has happened in the past six months, you have determined the Prime Minister’s visit produced results over these six months, and that there was a change and that things are different from what they were from January on.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: As for the first question – the briefing of the Foreign Ministry – we remain in the realm of the obvious. Of course the Foreign Ministry is kept up to date. Of course there has been a specific briefing of the Foreign Ministry on the content and climate and any conclusions from Mr. Grapsas’ meeting with his Turkish counterpart. This is within the framework of the constant and unhindered collaboration between the two Ministries.
Beyond that, it is not within the Foreign Ministry’s competencies to refer to the content of the meeting of the head of the Defense General Staff. Please direct your question to the competent ministry.
Now, concerning your two other questions on the effectiveness of the policy being followed. The direction is the one I described to you earlier. That is the strategic goal of Greek foreign policy. It is within this framework that all of the efforts are being made, and these efforts require stamina, patience and persistence.
Beyond that, all the efforts, all the meetings, take place within a specific political framework – they don’t take place in a void. As you know, there have been developments recently that one must take into account in one’s evaluation. The evolution of the countries’ relations is not automatic. Particularly when political developments supervene. I’m sure you understand what I am referring to.
Ms. Fryssa: Can we go back to the Skopje issue? Just a few days before the elections, I would like a statement from you on all of these provocative statements from Skopje officials.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I will not take a stance on the statements. I will not do it. But what I can say, as a general observation, is that the messages repeatedly broadcast by our neighbour – not just against Greece, I’m talking about more general messages – point to the conclusion that our neighbouring country is the only country in the Balkans and in Europe that appears to adopt extreme nationalistic thinking as an official policy.
Mr. Caka: Mr. Spokesman, on 18 May, in Konitsa, there was an event at which the Prefect of Gjirokaster, Spiros Xeras, talked about the autonomy of southern Albania, so-called Northern Epirus. Do you have information on that?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I have no information on that.
Mr. Caka: And what is Greece’s stance?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I have no information on that. I am completely unaware of what you referred to.
Mr. Caka: Doesn’t the Prefect’s statement concerning border change impact bilateral relations?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: First, a general observation. Prefects do not change the borders of states. Second, you are referring to a statement and an event that are completely unknown to me, and from what I can see, I am not alone.
So I will start with a hypothetical ‘if’. If something along those lines was said, it has nothing to do with the Greek perception of bilateral relations and good neighbourly relations. I repeat, there is no link. But this is all hypothetical.
Mr. Kottaridis: I would like a comment on the Turkish Foreign Ministry announcement condemning all Greek officials who participate in events commemorating the genocide of the Black Sea Greeks.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Mr. Kottaridis, with regard to the general Greek perception of this issue, there is a statement from the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Sioufas.
Beyond that, last year we took a crystal-clear stance, and the same stance holds true this year. And as a year has passed and I have it – the stance – in front of me, I will read it to you. “History cannot be written off. It cannot be rewritten. It cannot be forged. Nor can it become a victim of domestic political rivalries or expediencies.Our country respects history and at the same time is looking to the future.” This is the core of the position taken then, and it has another paragraph, but I don’t think I need to read it to you. You can look it up if you want to.
Mr. Santamouris: My question is this: The President of France is coming to Athens in a few days. Whether we have been correctly informed that he will meet with Ms. Bakoyannis.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I don’t know the final details of the programme. I think that Mr. Sarkozy will also be accompanied by Foreign Minister Kouchner.
Mr. Santamouris: My question is this: The Mediterranean Union, the prospect of its functioning in Europe’s yard, is it your estimation that it will dominate or weaken with the passing of time, particularly as regards Turkey?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: It is way too early to make an assessment of those dimensions, of the scope you are asking me for. The whole effort is still nascent. Good preparation has been made by the French Presidency, as far as I know. But I also must sat that Greece has done good work on this as well, as concerns our positions. We have a specific view of how we can help and contribute to achieving the purposes and goals of this initiative.
Beyond the general political philosophy on which we agree – not as a substitute for the enlargement process, of course – we have a practical approach. We believe that this initiative must go in the direction of practical results.
That is, within this framework for there to be specific cooperation programmes between European countries that are EU members and countries of the Mediterranean that are not EU members. That is, for there to be an effort to cooperate in specific sectors and on specific programmes. This is the Greek approach, and as far as I know it has been well received by all of our collocutors, including France.
Mr. Symeonidis: Mr. Spokesman, on Greek-Turkish issues – if I’m not mistaken, in today’s announcement from the Hellenic General Defense Staff there is the statement that “the heads of the General Staffs discussed ways to implement the confidence-building measures that were discussed by the Defense Ministers of the two countries.” Do you agree with this statement?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I won’t comment on Defense Staff announcements and I have no reason not to share that view.
Mr. Symeonidis: I am referring to the failure to mention the last meetings of the Foreign Ministers in that direction.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: I will not make any comment on the announcements made by the Defense General Staff.
Mr. Meletis: Mr. Spokesman, I would like to ask whether a demarche will be made to the American side regarding yesterday’s PSI incident, and second, whether it is considered a blow that Ms. Rice is not coming to an event that is within the framework of a personal initiative of hers, because the Women’s Mediterranean Forum, I remind you, was conceived and implemented by Ms. Rice. Do you think her absence is a blow to the initiative?
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Let me clarify something. When initiatives are taken by Foreign Ministers, they cease to be personal initiatives. They become initiatives on the part of the country’s foreign policy, which the Foreign Ministers express.
Second, Ms. Rice’s programme, as you can understand, is unknown to me. I cannot know what obligations she has on specific days. If you are interested in the programme and obligations of Ms. Rice, please address yourselves to the U.S. Embassy, or go through your Washington correspondent.
Mr. Meletis: First of all, I didn’t ask why she isn’t coming. I asked whether her absence is seen as a blow. And I also asked about the demarche.
Mr. G. Koumoutsakos: Regarding whether Ms. Rice’s absence is a blow to this event. When you organize an event, you always hope for the greatest possible participation. This is often achieved – at other times it is not achieved 100%. As the Foreign Ministry, we are pleased to be hosting this international meeting, which I am sure will have good and positive results.
Beyond that, regarding whether a demarche was made to the American side. What I do know is that yesterday morning there was communication between the Foreign Ministry’s Secretary General and the U.S. Embassy’s charge d’affaires, who was briefed on Greece’s positions on this issue.
Thank you.