Greece, Saudi Arabia talks to salvage tanker
Diplomatic efforts are under way to find a solution to prevent a massive oil spillage from the Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion.
The tanker, attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have targeted merchant shipping in the area, is still burning and with each passing day the danger of spilling its content of 1 million barrels of oil into the sea is increasing.
“The private companies responsible for the salvage operation have concluded that the conditions were not met to conduct the towing operation and that it was not safe to proceed,” the EU naval mission Aspides (Shields) said Tuesday, without immediately elaborating.
With private companies having essentially abandoned the salvaging efforts due to the danger of the process and insurers also agreeing it can’t be done, Greece and Saudi Arabia are holding talks to find a solution, quickly.
One option would be to pump the oil out of the ship on site. Another would be to tow the ship, despite the dangers involved, to a Saudi port, most likely Jeddah.
With each passing hour, the flames eat away at the vessel and bring closer the moment when the increased exposure of the oil to oxygen could lead to an explosion.
An explosion will bring an ecological disaster of unprecedented magnitude: Some experts believe that, with the ocean currents aiding, the oil slick could reach South Africa.
At least the talks are taking place at a juncture where relations between Greece and Saudi Arabia are as good as they have ever been and are certainly better than the European Union’s relations with the Saudis. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has heavily invested in these improved relations. Recently, Mitsotakis announced the extension of a battery of Patriot missiles provided to Saudi Arabia to boost its air defenses until the end of 2025, a move that will not affect Greece’s air defense capacities but is said to be highly appreciated by Riyadh.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou, a veteran diplomat and former ambassador to Washington, who has been entrusted by Mitsotakis with the contacts with Saudi diplomats, will head for Saudi Arabia in the coming days. Besides the talks about the Sounion’s fate, which she is already involved in, she will begin negotiating an agreement for convening a Supreme Cooperation Council, something that Mitsotakis had initially agreed with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. A meeting of the council, Greek officials hope, would also help boost interest by Saudi investors in several sectors of the Greek economy.
Greece is neglecting its relations with another major power in the area, Egypt. Tripartite talks, which include Cyprus, will take place later in September on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly. Greek officials place great importance on the tripartite talks, which have achieved important, concrete results, they say. Kathimerini understands that there is a possibility that Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati will visit Athens in the coming days for talks with his Greek counterpart, George Gerapetritis.
