Ex-PM Samaras slams government over stance on Turkey
Former prime minister Antonis Samaras accused the government of his New Democracy successor of taking too soft a stance towards Turkey, saying that “when ‘calm waters’ lead to the silent acceptance of fait accomplis, it always brings great storms.”
On the issue of Cyprus talks, the conservative hardliner spoke of “disastrous and unjust solutions” that are being “cooked up” to address the Cyprus issue by advocating a “disguised partition that will be the next step towards full Turkification.” He also indicated that such “disastrous and unjust solutions” are being considered for the Aegean as well.
His comments, made in Cyprus on Wednesday night during a ceremony for the Woman of the Year award, underscored mounting divisions within the ruling center-right party in Athens, especially with regard to foreign affairs, and policy towards Turkey in particular.
Samaras said that the only solution that should be considered on the matter of the Cyprus issue is “a fair and sustainable one, because if it is not fair, it will not be sustainable.” Anything different, he said, “will simply be a spark for the next crisis.”
Making an indirect reference to the government of Kostas Karamanlis – another ex-PM of the ruling conservative party who is at odds with the current administration – Samaras said that “Europe already decided, back in September 2005, that Turkey must recognize the Republic of Cyprus” and that this, therefore, “must be the basis” of any talks with Ankara. He went on to warn that any solution that entails the continued division of the island, in any form, “will also lead to the partition of the Aegean and will mark the beginning of Greece’s own shrinking.”
