Greece’s exploratory talks with Turkey are usually not a dialog for the sake of dialog. It’s a structured debate by which either side make investments for a collection of achievements. Greece’s goal, so far as exploratory talks are involved, has all the time been:
a. The matter into account is the unique financial zone and the continental shelf.
b. If no settlement is reached, the difficulty shall be referred to a world tribunal, ideally the Hague.
Due to this fact, the politicians in search of to downplay the function and the significance of the exploratory contacts ought to recall the targets of diplomacy, except they produce other – secret – goals than these talked about. Attainable concessions and pressures to the Republic of Cyprus.
The purpose is an settlement with Turkey on these points. I don’t assume that is possible now, except there shall be concessions with out ideas. In fact, however, the nation should attempt to obtain the essence of the exploratory talks, by setting situations, “pink strains,” and by precisely informing the worldwide neighborhood. If, and so long as, exploratory talks proceed, the purpose have to be to have well timed set basic methods. The at the start purpose, inside this course of, beneath the present circumstances, have to be to get Turkey to accede and signal the UNCLOS. In any other case, on what foundation will we significantly focus on something with out each events agreeing to the function of the Regulation of the Sea?
A part of the settlement with Turkey must be that, if the method of formulating an arbitration settlement referral to the Worldwide Court docket of Justice is taken into account, on the similar time, within the processing of this settlement, the second purpose have to be set: The lifting of the casus belli by the Turkish Nationwide Meeting. Its solely existence is provocative, however with the arbitration settlement, it turns into out of date even for the Turkish argumentation.
The federal government must be significantly cautious to not repeat its earlier errors concerning the maritime zones. That’s, dropping sight of the logical and authorized order of issues. It must be reminded right here that if one chooses the arbitration settlement and appeals to a world court docket, one is not going to then be entitled to increase one’s territorial waters as supplied by the rights enshrined in worldwide regulation. The danger is that the court docket will keep in mind within the delimitation of the EEZ between either side, the doubtless Greek territorial waters from 6 to 12 miles, plus the bays. Due to this fact, the third purpose have to be the well timed preparation of the maritime zones that give sovereignty over “non-dry land,” and of the required presidential decrees. Comparable care is required in making ready the maps supporting the proposal for the EEZ and the continental shelf if they need to be submitted to the Worldwide Court docket of Justice, because the court docket will obtain related maps from Turkey, by which the Turkish EEZ will illegally seem to incorporate territories at the moment characterised as “grey zones.”
The right preparation for the popularity of the worldwide regulation by Turkey, the lifting of casus belli and the maps, and a correct use of worldwide regulation facilitates the beneath investigation answer. On the similar time, these three components are highly effective weapons in each part in case the exploratory contacts don’t succeed and the method results in a “blame recreation.”
The fourth goal is the good significance Greece should give to the preparation of exploratory contacts. Which means:
a. Greece should take it significantly. Diplomacy can’t proceed to be a sort of authorities present, the place all of the negotiation components parade in public view. By no means within the earlier 60 rounds did we’ve got such a present that objectively opposes the requirement to deal with diplomacy as a really critical matter, that’s, with calm and persistence. The federal government should cease placing weight on the communication recreation as an alternative of the substance. The one clarification for this communication obsession is that it desires to disorient and obscure attainable concessions.
b. The Greek authorities mustn’t, probably as a consequence of its insecurity and its hidden agenda, permit Turkey to make worldwide propaganda. It’s inconceivable to not even reply to Cavusoglu’s assertion of January 12, 2021, based on which Greece was pressured to go to exploratory contacts beneath German strain. Nor failing to clarify to the worldwide neighborhood Turkish views – provocations concerning “grey zones” or for the demilitarization of its islands, regardless of the occupation of Cyprus and the provocations at Imia islets. Turkey has no authority to make such calls for, as a result of it isn’t a part of the Paris Settlement of 1946 and since with the amendments of the Montreux Treaty it has no authorized foundation for such claims. The Greek authorities should clarify all this with persistence and perseverance. And in addition clarify that Worldwide Protection Regulation precedes every particular person worldwide settlement.
c. The nation have to be nicely ready for exploratory contacts. The ministry has dozens of research on the matter, made by extremely certified home and international specialists. Allow us to make good use of them. There’s additionally a necessity for Greek views to be introduced extra systematically and successfully within the worldwide scientific press and to make higher use of the publications studied by judges and their collaborators.
d. The nation can’t go to a gathering with a smaller delegation than Turkey. Equality in negotiations should exist in all areas. Additionally, it doesn’t make a superb impression that the Greek delegation for the primary time after 60 conferences didn’t embrace a single professional in worldwide regulation or that one in every of its members is inexperienced, and does not likely know the topic of exploratory talks and Greek-Turkish relations.
e. Lastly, the very fact that there’s a hidden agenda with concessions doesn’t imply that its bearer does not have clear political selections. Nor that with a purpose to perceive his targets, that you must be personally knowledgeable by him.
Nikos Kotzias is the previous Minister of Overseas Affairs.
