Cyprus and Greece seek greater EU involvement in Syria
Source: in-cyprus.com
Greece and Cyprus are seeking greater European Union involvement in Syria, as both countries warn that any exclusive economic zone (EEZ) agreement between Turkey and Syria that disregards Cyprus’s interests could further destabilise the region.
Speaking at a late Thursday press conference in Brussels after the EU summit, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasised that stability in Syria following what he termed the “brutal” Assad regime’s collapse would benefit all parties involved.
When questioned about Greece’s role in Syria’s future, the prime minister highlighted Athens’s position as a spiritual protector of Greek Orthodox Christians, stating their safety remained a top priority for Greece.
Regarding Turkey’s involvement in Syria, Mitsotakis said it was too early to draw definitive conclusions about Turkey’s role and its future implications. “Everyone should be concerned about safeguarding Syria’s territorial integrity and protecting religious minorities in the country”, he said.
Mitsotakis revealed that both he and President Christodoulides had briefed their European partners about potential risks to regional stability should Turkey attempt to delineate an EEZ with Syria’s new regime, reiterating that the Turkish-Libyan memorandum was illegal.
“Both President Christodoulides and I informed our counterparts about these publicly reported discussions regarding a potential EEZ between Turkey and Syria that would ignore Cyprus’s undisputable sovereign rights”, Mitsotakis said, adding that “this information remains, for now, within the realm of media reports”.
On migration, the Greek premier discussed voluntary returns to Syria whilst emphasising the need to ensure returnees’ basic needs would be met.
Addressing Ukraine, Mitsotakis said the EU had reaffirmed its commitment to comprehensive support for Kyiv to prevent it from negotiating from a position of weakness when peace talks begin. He announced that an informal summit focusing exclusively on European defence would be held in Belgium in early February, following a Greek initiative.
Mitsotakis called for increased European resources and the establishment of a European defence fund. “This will also send a message to the United States that we as the European Union are taking our responsibilities seriously”, he said.
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