President Pavlopoulos sends strong message to Turkey, Albania and FYROM

The President of the Hellenic Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos sent a stern message towards Ankara, Skopje, and Tirana, during the reception of his Georgian counterpart, Giorgi Margvelashvili in Athens, Thursday. Mr. Pavlopoulos clarified that Greece dealt with its neighbours on the basis of international law and the EU acquis.

The Greek President reiterated that Greece sought a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem, adding, however, that this was only possible on the basis of respect for the principles of European law regarding the sovereignty of its member-states.

Mr. Pavlopoulos dubbed the presence of occupying forces and third-party guarantors on the island of Cyprus as “inconceivable”, warning Turkey that it would not be accepted as long as it continued to its obsessive policies.

However, he asserted that “when and if Turkey respects the views of International Law and the Treaty of Lausanne, we are here for its European prospect. Otherwise, it is the one that takes responsibility if the opposite happens”

Commenting on Greece’s name dispute with FYROM, the President claimed that Greece was pursuing its European inclusion, wanted its membership in NATO, but it all depended on solving the issue of the name, which could only be solved by the name ruling out any irredentist nuances.

Finally, the Greek President also commented Greece’s relations with Albania, calling on the state to respect the human rights of the Greek minority in its north, as well as their right to ownership of property.