YouSaid · the spoken record

Kyriakos Mitsotakis

lines on the record: 82
first: 2019-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
sittings or episodes: 5
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“I have the privilege of leading a mid-sized country that is trying to do its best to address issues of massive complexity, but it is time for the really big players to step up to the plate and deliver.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Let me be clear: that should not happen and that will not happen. We will never walk away from Ukraine, because to do so would be to abandon the very principles of peace, democracy and adherence to international law that so many in this Hall hold dear. That message was sent out loud and clear by the leaders of the whole Balkans region, on 21 August, in Athens, at the regional summit we hosted together with President Zelenskyy. In conclusion, whether the issue is addressing climate change, managing migration or fighting the threat to our democratic way of life, all the challenges we face are daunting. We have said many times, failure is not an option. True leadership will be required by all of us. We cannot just sit idle and hope for a miracle.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“And we will continue to fully support the United Nations-led efforts to facilitate the resumption of negotiations, always on the basis of the relevant Security Council resolutions. I have addressed two of the three most important concerns we share today as a global community. Let me end by quickly addressing the third. Last year in this very Hall most of us condemned Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine — an act of blatant aggression that has shattered the inviolability of a sovereign border and has cost so many innocent lives. Overall, the international community has stood firm against Putin’s provocation and disastrous attempt to rewrite history. Today, however, the assertion on Russia’s part is that NATO, the EU and the other partners that support Ukraine will eventually lose the stomach to continue that fight.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We have made good progress over the past months in terms of normalizing our relationship, and it is in our mutual interest to continue down that path. Turning to Cyprus, that remains, unfortunately, at its core, an issue of an illegal invasion and occupation, in violation of the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Our commitment to Cyprus’ sovereignty, territorial integrity and the solution of one State based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation is steadfast. It is a matter of credibility and determination to defend the core values and principles upon which the United Nations is based. Finding a fair, viable and mutually acceptable solution to the Cyprus issue remains a top priority for Greece.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“but let me do so in the spirit of openness. Rather than looking at the past. I want today to look to the future. Undoubtedly, long-standing geopolitical tensions between Greece and Türkiye remain. Our two greatest shared challenges, however, climate change and migration, are of the present and of the future. I told President Erdogan just that when we met yesterday. Do not get me wrong — our main difference over the delimitation of our maritime zones in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean is and remains extremely important, but it can be resolved in accordance with international law. and in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and in the spirit of good neighbourly relations.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“And we must enhance the capacity of law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those responsible for profiting from human despair, as well as disrupt the money networks through the strengthening of tools to identify and freeze traffickers’ assets. We need a whole-of-route approach, raising public awareness of the dangers posed by the smuggling routes. At the same time, as I said, we must provide legal pathways through family reunification, humanitarian visas but also labour mobility, something Greece has done with new bilateral agreements with countries such as Egypt and Bangladesh. But above all. if we want to solve the problem in the Mediterranean, we must work together with our partner countries — Türkiye. of course, but also our North African neighbours. Let me turn to Greece’s relations with its eastern neighbour. Türkiye.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Indeed, in recent weeks there is evidence across the Mediterranean that the pressure on our borders is. unfortunately, growing again. That is why preventing departures must be the starting point. We must break the business model of the traffickers and their networks if we are to stop people from embarking on such dangerous journeys. Working together, bilaterally and multilaterally, we must strengthen border controls and surveillance mechanisms to detect and intercept smugglers and their activities. And we can do that, through the use of advanced technology, intelligence-sharing and cooperation among border control agencies.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“No one wants to leave their homes and risk their lives finding work thousands of miles away. In real terms, that is about investing in infrastructure, in education, in health care and in the green and digital transition, all of which can reduce poverty, unemployment and inequality. And it is about creating incentives for private-sector development. It is about supporting entrepreneurship and small businesses, while always promoting good governance and women’s empowerment. When it comes to migration. Greece’s policy is tough but fair. We are focused on preventing irregular migration and improving the effectiveness of return systems. But we are also focused on facilitating safe, orderly and legal migration, while processing asylum claims expeditiously. This issue is not going away.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“But we also need to fill those vacancies on our own terms, not those set by the criminal gangs. That is why it is critical that the international community work together to establish a far more comprehensive and coordinated approach — one that addresses the root causes of migration, one that more effectively counters human trafficking and migrant smuggling and fosters legal pathways to mobility. With regard to managing the root causes of migration, we must challenge the negative political, socioeconomic and climate trends at source, in the countries of origin, but also the countries of transit. That means more tailor-made, innovative, multi-stakeholder partnerships to drive forward sustainable development and strengthen resilience, creating jobs and opportunities in the places of origin.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“All of this is critical because at the end of the day our number one obligation is the protection of human life. Let me turn to the second great challenge of our time, migration. My country is at the forefront of the global migration crisis. Greece has. over the past decade, provided shelter and protection to hundreds of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers. Our coastguard has gone above and beyond to save tens of thousands of lives at sea. Let me be clear: Greece will always be an open and welcoming country for those fleeing persecution and violence, as well as those economic migrants who however seek a new future by accessing legal pathways. After all. our economy is growing again, we are attracting significant foreign investment, and there are many job opportunities in my country.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Because only by working together can we make a real difference, not just by learning lessons from one another but by sharing best practices and solutions. Take Greece’s early-warning emergency number. 112. During the devastating wildfires in my country five years ago. it did not exist. An entire seaside town was razed to the ground and more than 100 people perished. We learned from that mistake — we put it right — and this summer the 112 number played a huge part in minimizing the loss of life. What difference. I wonder, would such an emergency number have made in Maui during the devastating Hawaiian fires — or in Libya, for example? It is exactly those sorts of relatively cost-effective solutions that represent the type of technological adaptation that we need globally going forward, through simple yet life-saving ideas.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“That is why I am calling for the creation of a global adaptation alliance — a forum through which we can deliver new collective thinking, renewed cooperation and access to new finance to drive short-term adaptation before it is too late. It could enable us to invest more, for example, in sharing new technology for advanced forecasting and modelling, so that we can predict with greater clarity and accuracy how climate phenomena are going to behave. It could inform us about where the floods are coming from and where the fires are going. We will therefore push for the inclusion of an adaptation alliance at the upcoming twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in the United Arab Emirates.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Slovenia and Spain, which, along with Greece, make up the group of nine Mediterranean and southern European Union countries known as the EUMed 9. In my letter I suggested two solutions to the short-term adaptation issue. The first was that we should recognize that circumstances now demand that we act outside the EU’s long-term budget framework and State subsidy rules. The second was that we should lead EU- wide efforts to define and implement a comprehensive, properly resourced strategic plan that addresses the new challenges we are now facing. But this is not just about Europe. After all. the problems facing Southern Europe and North Africa are no different from the issues faced by Canada this summer, or indeed by Pakistan last summer, when that country also suffered from catastrophic floods.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Yet while we are acting decisively on long-term mitigation, we are collectively guilty of not placing enough emphasis on short-term adaptation, even though the task of becoming more resilient is about making changes today, not tomorrow. After all. the crisis is already here. It is affecting our lives today, and it is already having a significant impact on our economies. For the European Union, that represents a failure of financial resourcing as well as of policy. We are spending peanuts on adaptation and emergency relief. We have two funds that are completely depleted, and that must change. That is why. earlier this week. I wrote to the leaders of Croatia. Cyprus. France. Italy. Malta. Portugal.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Greece and many of our friends and neighbours around the Mediterranean now face challenges similar to those of the countries that have preceded us at the sharp end of the climate crisis. And like those countries, we need a much more coordinated response. In Greece, we have pumped hundreds of millions into mitigation. We introduced our first ever climate law. and we are driving ambitious proposals with a view to decarbonizing our islands. We are partnering with multinationals in the pursuit of new green technology. We are investing heavily in renewables, because given our natural assets of wind, sun and sea. the potential is huge.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“The impact of those events across the Mediterranean is unprecedented, with lives lost, businesses destroyed, communities upended, social cohesion undermined and the fragile ecology of our most precious natural habitats severely compromised. Of course. I accept that the climate crisis is not an alibi for everything, but the science is clear. Unprecedented temperatures, fuelled by global warming, are creating the conditions that drive those catastrophic events. This is no longer a crisis of the poorest or of the global South. Our own very unequal battle with nature is now being fought out across Southern Europe and the Mediterranean in particular. That is the new reality of climate change.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“20 people were killed, hundreds lost their homes and livelihoods and an area greater in size than New York City was razed to ashes. Some 700 firefighters from across Europe fought valiantly to contain that devastating megafire, but they could not tame it. As if that was not enough. 10 days later Greece was struck by Storm Daniel. The region of Thessaly, in the centre of our country, saw twice as much rainfall in one day as falls in London in an entire year. It was the worst storm to hit Greece in more than a century. Daniel carved its destructive path not only through my country but Libya, too. landing on the coastal city of Derna. where the death toll now stands in the tens of thousands.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We must work harder collectively to change that. Twelve months ago from this very rostrum. I warned that without multilateral cooperation, the devastating effects of climate change would soon be the norm rather than the exception (see A/77/PV.10). Twelve months later, that new norm has unfortunately already arrived. This summer, floods, fires, heatwaves and landslides have gripped Southern Europe. North Africa and the Mediterranean, bringing unprecedented destruction to the region, from Slovenia to Libya and from Italy to Greece. Nowhere was that more apparent for Greeks than across Evros. in the north-east of my country, where the largest blaze ever recorded in the European Union (EU) burned continuously for almost two weeks. In all.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Nowhere is that clearer to me than in two core areas — tackling climate change and managing migration, both of which will be at the heart of Greece’s Security Council candidacy for the 2025-2026 term. If elected. Greece will make climate and migration central tenets of its time on the Council, in addition to focusing on international law and maritime security. That is because, at least in part, the global community’s current collective approach to climate and migration speaks to a failure to match its rhetoric to its delivery on policy. Given the fact that we just experienced the hottest summer on record and that we talk rather than act when it comes to tackling the main drivers of irregular migration or even the implementation of the existing transnational agreements, we are in fact failing.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“The theme of this year’s General Assembly asks us to accelerate action towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all. I would argue that it is a laudable goal and one that now matters more than ever before. But I must also ask if it is anywhere near enough. I pose that question not because I wish to test the patience of the Assembly, but rather because even though collective multilateral solutions can and often do make a difference, it seems to me that too many of those solutions fall short of our ambitions. Our words are never quite matched by our actions, and our achievements never quite meet our expectations. It is as if the nations in the United Nations are not quite united enough.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“In pursuit of freedom, the preservation of democracy and the rule of law, and the fight against climate change, there is indeed a long road ahead. The next generation will judge us very harshly should we fail to rise to the occasion.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Greece is taking the lead in making sure that European countries cooperate more effectively in the field of civil protection through the rescEU programme. As the United Kingdom hands on the baton and the work of the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to Egypt for the twenty-seventh Conference, we have a final chance to get this right. Let us not be asking at the next General Assembly why we are still talking and not acting. The challenges our world faces our complex and multifaceted. The solutions are far from simple. They require compromise, effort and will. They require resolve and determination. Above all, they require us to work together and stay the course. That, after all, is the spirit of these United Nations.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“That is why, in 2024, we will be hosting the ninth international Our Ocean Conference, building on our ambitious plans to promote sustainable fishing and protect 30 per cent of our land and sea by 2030. All these initiatives prove that collective multilateral solutions can make a significant difference in the battle to protect our natural world. But, as many speakers have pointed out, we are not there yet. Whether it be the terrifying wildfires we witnessed in Europe this summer, or more recently the unprecedented flooding that have affected large parts of Pakistan or the continued loss of critical icecaps, glaciers and rainforests, without multilateral cooperation these events may soon be the norm rather than the exception.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We invite all Member States to join us in this effort. I am pleased to say that in our long and continuing effort to reunite the Parthenon sculptures back in Greece, we have received support from the vast majority of Member States, as well as from the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee. We thank them for that support. No matter how long it will take, the Parthenon sculptures will eventually be coming home. I am immensely proud of the fact that Greece is one of few countries that have not deviated from the United Nations 17 Sustainability Goals for 2030. Let me highlight in particular our commitment to transforming public education, in line with Goal 4. Our efforts have been recognized at this year’s Assembly. As the world’s leading shipping nation, we understand that the sustainability of our marine environment is of paramount importance.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Our National Climate Law is aimed at mobilizing all sectors of the economy as we establish a road map for our transition to net zero by 2050. The conversion of a number of Greek islands into green innovation hubs is up and running. And for Greece there is another fight close to our hearts. It is the battle to protect cultural heritage, not just from climate change, but from armed conflict, illicit trafficking and its interconnection with terrorist financing, and religious fundamentalism. Greece, in partnership with UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization, has launched the Addressing Climate Change Impacts on Cultural and Natural Heritage initiative, supported by more than 100 Member States, the Secretary General, the Council of Europe and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“I want to be absolutely clear. Greece will continue to protect its borders, with full respect to fundamental rights. Our Coast Guard has saved tens of thousands of people at sea. It did so again yesterday, when we rescued more than 130 people, including many children, from two sinking boats in the Aegean. It would be much more useful for Tiirkiye to cooperate actively with Greece and Europe on the issue of migration rather than spreading fake news. After all, the boats carrying the same desperate people to whom President Erdogan keeps referring leave the Turkish coast in broad daylight. Let me conclude with a point about meeting the momentous challenges of climate change. The green transformation sits at the heart of my Government’s reform programme.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“That is why today, from the United Nations, I would like to address not just the Turkish leadership but also the Turkish people directly with this message — Greece poses no threat to their country. We are not their enemy. We are neighbours. We value the many friendships between ordinary Greeks and Turks. I know that the vast majority in our two countries do not want political conflict and hostility, so let us move forward in a spirt of cooperation and friendship, with mutual respect and in accordance with international law. Let me also make a specific reference to the migration situation in the Aegean. Tiirkiye has been instrumentalizing migrants since March 2020, when it actively encouraged and facilitated tens of thousands of desperate people to illegally cross into Greece in order to put pressure on the European Union.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Such actions undermine peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean at a time when the international community is faced with a war in Ukraine. If President Erdogan wants to talk about red lines, then I say this: Turkish claims over the sovereignty of Greece’s islands are baseless and unacceptable. Questioning the sovereignty of Greek territory crosses a red line for all Greeks. As Prime Minister of Greece, I will never compromise on my country’s territorial integrity, security and stability. Greece will not be bullied by anyone. And yet, it does not have to be that way. There is another path forward. Greek people and Turkish people have a history of peaceful coexistence. Eight years after the tragic events of 1922, Greek and Turkish leaders had the courage to sign a peace and friendship agreement.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“That narrative has, unfortunately, culminated in Tiirkiye’s preposterous challenge last year of Greek sovereignty over the eastern Aegean islands, including islands such as Chios and Rhodes — a sovereignty that was established by international treaties 100 years ago. What is particularly alarming is the growing intensity of the threat. It is characterized by an escalation in aggressive rhetoric, combined with a massive disinformation campaign, multiple violations of Greece’s sovereignty and sovereign rights at sea and in the air, the instrumentalization of migration flows and, unfortunately, a unilateral decision to refuse all high-level contacts. I ask: Is this behaviour compatible with a well- established international actor, a United Nations Member State bound by the Charter and principles of the United Nations?”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“When it comes to Greece, Tiirkiye’s leadership seems to have a strange fixation with my country. Their language is increasingly bellicose. They threaten that Tiirkiye will “come at night”, if it so decides. This is the language of an aggressor, not a peacemaker. Sadly, it is nothing new. And what of Tiirkiye’s challenge to Greek sovereignty in the Aegean itself? Again, such rhetoric not new. Tiirkiye has been incrementally building a comprehensive narrative of false claims in the Aegean that stretches from the Imia islet crisis in the mid-1990s to the present day. It has been threatening Greece with a casus belli should we choose to exercise our sovereign right to expand our territorial waters in the Aegean.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Members have heard me say before that I am always open to dialogue and to the settling of differences in an open, respectful manner and in accordance with international law. That is still the case. Tiirkiye after all is an important country, a NATO member that can be a partner and ally of Greece and the European Union if it so chooses. Tiirkiye has a great capacity to play a constructive role. For example, Ankara’s recent efforts that led to a successful United Nations brokering of a grain exports deal between Ukraine and Russia was an important contribution to global food security. But at the same time, Tiirkiye continues to play a destabilizing role in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Caucasus. It is also the only NATO country not implementing sanctions against Russia.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Greece strongly supports both the Secretary-General’s efforts to resume negotiations for a mutually acceptable settlement, and the confidence-building measures proposed by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Nicos Anastasiades. But the international community must not ignore illegal Turkish attempts to impose a new fait-accompli on Cyprus, in particular in the fenced area of Varosha, as well as new and repeated violations of Cyprus’ maritime zones and airspace. That brings me to an issue even closer to home for my country. I am referring to Tiirkiye’s continued and ever-more aggressive revisionist agenda vis-a-vis Greece. This is my fourth address to the General Assembly as Greek Prime Minister.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Pericles, in his funeral oration was correct when he said that it is not easy to find the right measure of words when one cannot quite rely on a common perception of the truth. Ukraine is not the only country in post-war Europe to have been brutally attacked. For nearly 50 years, Cypriots have lived on a divided island as the result of an illegal invasion and a military occupation. Ankara and the Turkish-Cypriot leadership, isolated and alone in the international community, continue to insist upon unacceptable demands for a two-State solution. They refuse to resume negotiations for an agreed settlement on the basis of successive Security Council resolutions.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We will support our citizens in coping with high energy prices. We will pool European resources to promote energy efficiency and rapidly diversify away from Russian oil and natural gas. And we will further accelerate the push towards renewables, which are not just the cleanest and cheapest form energy, but are also the safest ones from a geopolitical perspective. Never again must we mortgage our prosperity, only to be blackmailed by those who are willing to exploit our dependencies. That is, after all, what European strategic autonomy is all about. We know that there is a price to be paid for being on the right side of history, and it is our obligation to keep our societies united but also informed about what is really at stake in Ukraine. The fight against disinformation and fake news must continue with increased vigour.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Russia’s invasion must not succeed, not only for the sake of Ukraine but also because it is imperative to send a clear message to other authoritarian leaders that open acts of aggression that violate international law shall not be tolerated by the global community of democratic States. That message had been sent loud and clear by many Heads of State and Government who have taken the floor in this year’s general debate. Across Europe, we face the prospect of a difficult winter. The impact of the war in Ukraine has sent the price of gas soaring and has unleashed a spike in inflation, the likes of which we have not seen in more than four decades. Russia has weaponized its natural resources to inflict pain on European societies and destabilize democratically elected European Governments. Again, it will not succeed.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We believed that, given the tragic and devastating experiences of the twentieth century, no one would venture to suppress another people’s right to exist or alter borders by force. We were wrong. Nevertheless, as Europeans we have every reason to be proud of our response. We have stood by Ukraine, equipping it with means to defend itself against the aggressor. We have imposed punitive sanctions that are beginning to take a toll on the Russian economy. And the tide is beginning to turn. This clear and strong position against an unjustified war is the reflection of a new geopolitical vision for the European Union. We do not want a world in which power is for the strong State and not for the weak, and where disputes are settled by generals rather than diplomats.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“If we choose the former, however painful in the short term that may be, the values that underpin these United Nations will prevail; choose the latter and the consequences are, I believe, unimaginable. For our societies to survive and thrive, they have to be willing to fight when faced with unprovoked aggression. Pericles, in his funeral oration, made that absolutely clear 2,500 years ago. At no time since the end of the Second World War have his words echoed more relevantly. Today the memories of the dark continent have resurfaced after the unprovoked invasion of Russia into Ukraine. What we considered unthinkable has happened. For many years, we believed that international cooperation and a shared commitment to the rule of law had prevailed over guns and armies.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Seventy-seven years ago, the Organization was founded out of the chaos of war with one stated aim: the harmonization of relations among nation States in pursuit of lasting peace and security, the defence of human rights and the inviolability of international law. It was the world’s first multilateral response to the aggression of the few at the expense of the many. And yet, in spite of all its successes, today our United Nations stands at a crossroads. As the theme of this year’s General Assembly suggests, we face a watershed moment in world history. We face a choice, and that choice is simple. We can come together to face down the forces of authoritarianism and violence of today, in full cognizance that there is a price to pay for defending our common human values, or we can show indecision, we can waver and, ultimately, we can fold.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Let me conclude by saying that earlier this year, on 25 March, Greece celebrated the two- hundredth anniversary of the beginning of our war of independence. Our ancestors fought for freedom, dignity and respect for the rule of law. They prevailed against all odds, because they were doing the right thing for themselves and their children. The challenges we face are no less formidable. Six thousand years of civilization and the futures of every generation to come rest on our shoulders. Armed with the power of reason and science and a determination to rise to the occasion, I am convinced that we will also do the right thing for ourselves, our children and the future of the fragile yet beautiful blue planet that humankind calls home.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Recent events have clearly demonstrated that we must be both willing and able to do more as Europeans on our own. That should not come at the expense of our trans-Atlantic bonds. If anything, a European defence union will strengthen NATO. It will oblige European countries to address issues of inter-operability and meagre defence budgets. It will accelerate our cooperation on cyber and space. If Europe is to be not just an economic but also a geopolitical powerhouse, it is time for that debate to start in earnest. Those countries most eager to proceed can do so at a faster pace. Our strategic interests in the eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Sahel force us to address that challenge with a renewed sense of urgency, because there will be missions in which NATO or the United Nations will not be present but the EU should be.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Greece has always been an active supporter of greater European integration as a vehicle for a more prosperous, stable and democratic future for the region. Ever since the adoption of the Thessaloniki Agenda for the Western Balkans in 2003, that EU perspective has been the driving force for reform, democratization and change. But let us be honest that there has also been fatigue and disappointment. Eighteen years is a long time. In a matter of days, the EU-Western Balkans summit will be held in Slovenia. Let us not miss the opportunity to use the summit to take a bold step forward. It is time for the European Union to deliver. Greece believes in a multilateral approach to the complex global challenges of today, but I am also a firm believer in the absolute necessity of Europe’s strategic autonomy.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Any talk of a two-State solution is simply unacceptable. In our immediate neighbourhood, Libya continues to suffer from the devastating effects of a decade-long civil war. The Libyan people deserve a peaceful future in which their destiny is in their own hands, free from the presence of foreign troops, mercenaries and foreign fighters. Libyans want the right to freely elect their own Government without foreign intervention. We stand by them and support their demand for the withdrawal of all foreign forces and the holding of free elections on 24 December. We appreciate the work done by the United Nations and by Special Envoy of the Secretary- General for Libya, Mr. Jan Kubis. I also want to briefly address the issue of the Western Balkans.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“It is regrettable that Turkey continues to ignore a series of United Nations resolutions, including Security Council resolutions 541 (1983) and 550 (1984), and insists on the militarization of the island. It continues its illegal violation of Cyprus’ maritime zones and airspace and violates United Nations resolutions on the fenced area of Varosha. Greece remains fully committed to supporting the efforts led by the Secretary-General for the resumption as soon as possible of results-oriented negotiations on a viable solution to the Cyprus issue. Such a solution can be found only on the basis of the relevant Security Council resolutions, which call for a mutually acceptable settlement of a bizonal, bicommunal federation, with political equality, a single sovereignty, a single international personality and a single citizenship.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“At the same time, I will spare no effort to continue reaching out to Turkey to explore avenues of cooperation. I have a vision for the eastern Mediterranean. Instead of fighting the previous century’s battles over hydrocarbons — a fading commodity — we can, and have to, join forces and cooperate against new common enemies. They include the climate crisis, which affects both our countries equally, as well as the threat posed by illegal migration, in which Turkey has an important role to play in cooperating with us to eradicate the networks of illegal smugglers that prey on the desperation of vulnerable people. There is much our two countries can do together. We are bound by history and geography to coexist, and it is in our common interests to do so peacefully and prosperously. Where I am less optimistic is on the issue of Cyprus.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“It is that mindset that defines our approach to Turkey. We have always supported the need for open channels of communication and cooperation between our two neighbouring countries. What happened last year, when Ankara raised tensions unnecessarily and without provocation, threatening confrontation between two NATO allies, must not be repeated. Turkey should understand that its aggressive attitude in that respect undermines the prospects for a mutually beneficial relationship and jeopardizes regional security and stability. More than that, it makes Turkey’s relationship with Europe that much more complicated. Let me be absolutely clear: we will continue to protect our sovereignty and sovereign rights across our territory on land, at sea and in our airspace.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Furthermore, given that Greece is a maritime country made up of many thousands of islands and a coastline that stretches for more than 14,000 kilometres — the longest in the Mediterranean — as a global maritime power we are fully committed to the law of the sea, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. After many years of difficult negotiations, we recently signed delimitation agreements on our maritime zones with Italy and Egypt, and we have agreed with Albania to refer delimitation to the International Court of Justice. That, I believe, is the best proof that disputes regarding maritime delimitations, no matter how complex or long-standing, can be resolved provided that we agree on a common rule book. And the only rule book available is the that of the international law of the sea.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“While it is true that there are diverging views between Greece and our close neighbour Turkey, Greece has always been committed to the rules and principles of international law and remains a strong advocate of the notion that all disputes need to be settled peacefully, always in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. Let me point out that it is the United Nations Charter that bans the use or the threat of force. However, since 1995 Greece has faced a formal, regularly renewed, clearly illegal and unacceptable threat of the use of force by Turkey — what is known as a casus belli.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“For example, on the island Astypalaia, in the Dodecanese, we have begun a long-term project together with Volkswagen to develop Europe’s first fully green island. And Greece is leading a global initiative that aims to accelerate action to protect its cultural and natural heritage from the impacts of climate change. Let me turn now to the escalating complexity of international relations and our continued efforts to consolidate regional peace and security. Since we previously met at the General Assembly, the eastern Mediterranean has unfortunately seen more days of instability than calmness.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Two years ago, before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, I announced from this rostrum (see A/74/PV.9) that by 2028 Greece would shut down all its electricity- production plants fired by lignite — that is, brown coal. We are currently working to make that happen even sooner, possibly by 2025. We are investing €24 billion of European and national funds to support the green transition. We are addressing the issue of plastics pollution on land and at sea. We intend to effectively protect our marine environment by designating 10 per cent of our seas as no-catch zones by 2030. We are also implementing ambitious plans, in partnership with the private sector, to accelerate the use of green energy in our most sensitive ecosystems.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“I am very pleased that last Friday, together with Greece, the leaders of eight other Mediterranean countries made the climate crisis the focal point of the eighth Summit of the Southern Countries of the European Union, held in Athens. The Athens Declaration, adopted by Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, Malta, Slovenia and Greece, focuses on key areas of the climate crisis that are of particular relevance to the Mediterranean, including biodiversity, forest management, the marine environment and civil protection, prevention and preparedness. My country’s commitment to addressing the climate crisis is unwavering and transcends all aspects of public policy.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)