Greece, 2012

I

would like to thank the outgoing President of the General

Assembly at its sixty-sixth session, Ambassador Nassir

Abdulaziz Al-Nasser of the State of Qatar, and to

congratulate Mr. Vuk Jeremić of the Republic of Serbia

on his election to the presidency of the Assembly at the

sixty-seventh session. I also want to thank Secretary-

General Ban Ki-moon, who tirelessly carries on at the

helm of our Organization in an ever-shifting global

environment.

I wish to affirm our endorsement of the positions

voiced in the statement made by the observer of the

European Union. As always, Greece remains fully

committed to the United Nations, to the values of peace,

security, and to raising the living standards of people

all over the world so that they may lead lives of dignity.

At the recent High-level Meeting on the rule of law,

the States Members of the United Nations reaffirmed

their commitment to one of the most important principles underlying the international order, which should be our

guide in the conduct of diplomacy and international

relations. We fully agree with the Secretary-General’s

opinion that freedom of expression is a fundamental

right and privilege belonging to all people, without any

discrimination, and should not be abused by anyone in

a disgraceful and shameful way.

Unfortunately, there are those who will do

everything to provoke, as we have witnessed again

recently in the provocative and unacceptable movie

which denigrates Islam. Nevertheless, we should

strongly condemn all forms of violence, and, in

this particular case, the violence against diplomatic

missions. There is no justification for it. After all, the

measure and limit of every right is the respect of the

right of the other.

Greece is dedicated to United Nations efforts to

enhance international cooperation on the promotion and

protection of human rights. We have therefore decided

to present our candidacy for membership in the Human

Rights Council for the 2013-2015 term. In this context,

we also support the adoption of the European Union

Strategic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy

and the appointment of the European Union Special

Representative for Human Rights as important steps

towards a more coherent European policy and approach

to human dignity.

The need to respect and protect human rights and

humanitarian law is now as urgent as ever. In fact,

illegal migration in the Mediterranean region has given

rise to a humanitarian crisis. That is why Greece has

introduced major legislative and institutional reforms

in the fields of asylum and migration.

I now turn to one of the main pillars of United Nations

action: peace and security. Greece’s neighbourhood

has often been at the centre of serious, interrelated

security challenges. My country has consistently

played a stabilizing role, which we have accomplished

through the pursuit of a policy of peaceful resolution of

disputes, within the framework of the United Nations

Charter, based on respect for international law and the

principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial

integrity. Despite the economic and financial crisis,

Greece has continued to participate actively in a number

of United Nations missions and operations around the

world, including in Kosovo and Afghanistan and in the

anti-piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia. Security in the Middle East remains a crucial quest

for the countries of the region and the world community.

Greece maintains historic ties of friendship, cooperation

and mutual respect with its neighbours in North Africa

and the Middle East — countries that, following the

momentous events of the Arab Spring, are moving

towards successful electoral processes and towards

building democratic institutions. The European Union

should be there, right by their side, as they build their

future.

However, we have not seen successful outcomes

everywhere. In Syria, demonstrators faced tanks

and a brutal crack-down. On numerous occasions we

have called on President Al-Assad to open the way

for a transitional authority, comprising all sections of

Syrian society. Yet, we are still in a prolonged bloody

stalemate that jeopardizes the present and the future of

the Syrian people, and stability in our region. The result

has been no less than 29,000 victims, 250,000 refugees,

2.5 million Syrian citizens in need. We are convinced

that a Syrian-led political solution is still achieveable,

and we see no alternative to such a solution. Greece

believes that there is no military solution to the Syrian

problem.

Peace and security in the Eastern Mediterranean

cannot be achieved without a just, lasting and

comprehensive solution of the Palestinian issue, on the

basis of a two-State solution. We regret the prolonged

stagnation in the direct negotiations between the two

parties. It is only through negotiations that peace

can finally be achieved. We believe that unilateral

actions cannot fulfil Israel’s quest for security or the

Palestinians’ aspirations for statehood, which we fully

support. The two-State solution should remain feasible

on the ground.

I would now like to outline the current position

on some salient issues concerning our immediate

neighbourhood. The issue of the name of the former

Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is, beyond its semantic

dimension, an important piece in the puzzle of putting

to rest irredentist notions and attempts to rewrite

history in our region. I have been informed of what

the representative of the former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia said today in the General Assembly (see

A/67/PV.12). Distorting reality in front of the entire

international community and using nineteenth-century

rhetoric in the twenty-first century is counterproductive

and will lead us nowhere. Populism and nationalism

make up the worst possible mix for the promotion of anyone’s national interests and the stability of our

region.

Greece believes that the solution lies in a fair

settlement. That would be a name with a geographical

qualifier, since Macedonia is a geographical region that

overlaps the territories of three countries, the largest

part being in Greece, followed by Bulgaria and then

the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. And of

course the name must be used in relation to everyone;

it is an erga omnes obligation, to use the Latin phrase.

When we resolve this issue, we will be able to realize

the vast potential in our relations, to our mutual benefit,

and Greece will be the former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia’s staunchest ally and friend in its efforts to

fulfil its Euro-Atlantic aspirations. After all, as is well

known, Greece is the most important economic partner

of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, with a

large presence of Greek companies operating there. We

also support the European Union-facilitated dialogue

between Belgrade and Pristina, and we welcome the

constructive approach to the talks on the part of the

Serbian leadership. Dialogue is the only way to resolve

problems in Kosovo, while unilateral measures and

escalation, especially in the north, should be avoided

by all means.

Less than two years from now, Greece’s European

Union presidency will launch Agenda 2014, which

aims to reinvigorate the European perspectives of all

our neighbours in the Western Balkans. Elsewhere in

our immediate neighbourhood, Greece is consistently

pursuing stronger cooperation with Turkey, through a

wide range of initiatives, so that we can improve our

relations to the benefit of both peoples. Moreover,

Greece continues to support Turkey’s candidacy for full

membership in the European family, on the condition,

of course, that all relevant membership criteria are met

and that the necessary reforms are carried out. It is of the

utmost importance that Turkey gives tangible signs of

full respect for international law and abandons attitudes

like the standing threat of casus belli against Greece, or

its attitude vis-à-vis Cyprus, which undermines efforts

to build trust.

That brings us to the Eastern Mediterranean as a

whole, where Greece continues to play its role as a force

for peace and stability. Greece supports the efforts of

the Government of the Republic of Cyprus to pursue

negotiations with the Turkish Cypriot community,

under United Nations auspices, aimed ultimately at

reuniting the island, according to United Nations resolutions and taking into account the fact that the

Republic of Cyprus is a member of the European

Union, which currently holds its presidency. However,

after 38 years, the division of the island continues and

the results of the talks have been disappointing, owing

to Turkish-Cypriot intransigence about engaging in

constructive talks. We applaud Cyprus’s decision to act

on its sovereign right to exploit the natural gas deposits

in its exclusive economic zone.

We are forging partnerships with other emerging

energy players in the region, including Israel and

the Arab countries, with which we enjoy traditional

relations of friendship and trust. Greece is contributing

to bringing stability and economic growth to the Eastern

Mediterranean, in order to promote energy security

and diversification of sources and suppliers for the

European energy markets. A resolution of the Cyprus

issue would have a tremendously positive effect, not

just for the Cypriots themselves but for Greek-Turkish

relations and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean as

a whole.

I will conclude with a few words about the

economic crisis that Greece is confronting with the

help of its partners in the European Union and the

international community. The new tripartite coalition

Government in Greece is implementing an ambitious

economic adjustment programme in order to improve its

macroeconomic outlook and achieve fiscal adjustment,

while at the same time addressing structural reforms

aimed at growth and job creation.

That effort has produced impressive results,

especially a significant reduction of the primary

deficit. At the same time, the Greek economy has

regained more than 50 per cent of its competitiveness in

relation to its global trade partners, while the business

and investment climate is on a positive path. We are

determined to continue along that path, bearing in mind

that the Greek people are suffering tremendously from

the implementation of the austerity programme.

In a broader view, it is evident that this crisis is not

just Greek or European. International economies are

intertwined, and therefore ours is also a global crisis.

In that respect, we need to examine measures aimed

at generating all-inclusive and job-creating growth,

measures that will regenerate economies and diminish

the social impact of the crisis.

The eurozone, with Greece at the forefront, is

making a hard and painstaking effort and adopting new paths and ways to climb out of the deep economic crisis.

The pivotal role and geopolitical importance of Greece

in South-Eastern Europe, in the Eastern Mediterranean

and the Middle East will emerge as a result of the

events unfolding in our neighbourhood. It is indeed

a stabilizing role, since our vital national interests

are aligned with the promotion of peace, stability,

prosperity and regional security. Our advantage is

not only our geographical position but also our strong

political will to become a cornerstone of stability

and security, at a time when uncertainty dangerously

threatens our region.

During the past two years, Greece has been

portrayed by the global media as a country defined

by its economic need. It is true that our country is

experiencing a painful transition leading to economic

recovery and growth. It is also true that the Greek

people have known in their 3,000 years of history crises

more serious than the present one. We survived. We

excelled. Let me assure the General Assembly and the

family of nations that Greece will make it.

We will make it because Greece is larger than its

geographical size and more precious than its present

fiscal reality. Through knowledge, science and art,

Greece is there when progress takes place. Through

democracy Greece is present as a global civilization.

Through Olympism Greece unites humankind. Through

our merchant f leet and our maritime tradition we carry

goods all around the world. Through our love for life

we constantly remind the world that progress should

always be measured on the human scale. Through and

by our legacy we will make it once more.

We will make it because Greece is not about

asking. Greece is about offering. Let us not forget that

Greece holds intrinsic value in the hearts and minds

of people irrespective of nationality, race and religion.

And that gives us the moral power, the support and the

encouragement, along with our partners in Europe, to

give to the world and to win our current fight.