Foreign minister briefs political parties on developments with Turkey

Greece's Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Tuesday there was “consensus and unity” between the government and the opposition parties during an official briefing on the latest developments with Turkey.

At the meeting of the National Foreign Affairs Council, Dendias informed the opposition parties on a deal drawn up by Turkey and Libya on maritime zones and on the results of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday. They also discussed Athens’ response to Ankara’s latest moves in the East Mediterranean. 

“Greece is confident. It is a European country at the core of the EU and can handle any problem,” he told journalists after meeting representatives from opposition parties.

Angelos Syrigos, a New Democracy MP and associate professor of international law and foreign policy at Athens’ Panteion University, said all parties submitted their proposals on how to improve the strategy Greece is following.

“But most importantly, we have a common understanding that there is a united front towards Turkey in the current situation,” he said.

Participants in the meeting included representatives of New Democracy, main opposition SYRIZA, the Movement for Change (KINAL), Elliniki Lysi and MeRA25, as well as the deputy foreign ministers and the chairman of the National Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee, Constantinos Gioulekas.