Victoria Nuland: Turkish violations in Greek airspace provocative

Challenging, characterizes the Turkish violations of Greek airspace, the US Assistant Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland in an exclusive interview with ERT, stressing that discussions with Turkey on the possible purchase of F16 aircraft have not been completed.

Mrs Nuland announces the participation of the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken in the trilateral cooperation scheme between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, and indeed in the coming weeks, a development that, as it says, reflects in the best way the practical support of the United States.

Asked «why the US continues to insist that the EastMed pipeline is not a viable project, when the countries involved seem to have a different view», the US Secretary of State clarifies that the US is simply expressing its concern because of Europe's immediate energy needs, that it is not insisting on anything and that the final decision is up to the countries of the region.

In relation to the criticism that was levelled at the recent creation of a strategic mechanism with Turkey, he explains that Washington and Athens have been engaged in a strategic dialogue for years and even at an upgraded ministerial level. «Turkey did not take something that Greece does not already have», he comments.

Ms Nuland stresses that she clearly explained to Mr Tatar that there is no two-state solution in Cyprus, and talks about the new phase of the war in Ukraine, expressing concern about the developments.

Q. Thank you very much for this interview. I would like to start with the war in Ukraine and your assessment of where this war is heading? Putin recently said that there is a stalemate in the negotiations, so what should we expect in this new stage of the conflict?;

• As you know, having failed in their first attempt to encircle and occupy Kiev, the Russians are now regrouping and planning a major new offensive in the east, a development that is of particular concern to us. At the same time, they are continuing their fierce attacks in the south, including Mariupol. That is why we and our allies are increasing our support in the security sector in Ukraine. Greece provides very important resources to Ukraine. The U.S. has announced another $800 million in security support, including all kinds of equipment, including helicopters and so on, to help Ukraine resist when this Russian attack starts.

Q. I would like to turn to your recent trip to Greece, Cyprus and Turkey and the criticism that has been made - I assume you are aware of it - mainly because you launched this strategic mechanism with Turkey, a country that has not taken a clear position in this war, and then you went to Greece, which is a reliable ally without any doubt, empty-handed. What is your response to this criticism?;

• We have had a strategic dialogue with Greece for many years and even at the level of the Foreign Minister, we saw another round of this dialogue in the autumn. My trip to Greece was first and foremost a thank-you trip to Greece for being such a steadfast ally. As I stressed when I was there, when I was in Greece again about four years ago as Deputy Foreign Minister, the country was really in a very difficult phase and was looking for support to stabilize its economy. The fact that I came back now and saw how strong a security partner Greece has become for the United States, how strong an ally of NATO, how Greece has become the energy hub of Southeast Europe, was really impressive. So I went to Greece first of all to thank the country for the progress we have made together, but also to plan our strategy on how we continue to make sure that Europe has energy and how we continue to help Ukraine. So it was also a purely strategic type of discussion. Now in relation to the strategic mechanism that we launched in Turkey, it's something that Greece has had for many many years.

Q. I will come back to the energy developments that you mentioned in a moment, but I want to focus on your brief participation, while you were in the region, in the so-called 3+1 (Greece, Cyprus, Israel plus the US) and I wanted to ask what your plans are in relation to this mechanism. Should we possibly expect a ministerial-level meeting soon, which would send a strong signal of US support at a time of uncertainty and complex power relations in the region?;

• The US is very much in support of this cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Israel and indeed this 3 plus 1 dialogue is underway.I had the opportunity to participate in the meeting with the 3 foreign ministers to express the support of the US. I think we will have a meeting very soon, in the coming weeks, between the 3 ministers with my minister, with Foreign Minister Blinken, to underline the importance of this format and the work that they are trying to do together, that we are all trying to do together, on energy, on maritime security and on other important issues.

Q. Regarding energy developments, you reiterated a few days ago, very clearly I would say, your firm position on the EastMed pipeline. But let me tell you that the countries involved seem to have a different view. Mr Dendias said that the pipeline is “alive and well”, Israel also suggests that this project is not dead, and Cyprus says that we should wait until sustainability studies are completed before coming to any conclusion. So I wonder why the US is insisting on this position?;

• Lena, we are not insisting on anything and if the countries in the region decide that they want to go ahead with this project, they will. Our concern is the one I expressed in Greece, which is that the project is extremely expensive, the water is very deep, and it may take ten years or more to complete when everyone needs energy here and now. Greece is already an energy hub and we believe there are faster, more efficient and more productive ways to transport energy in the region, including exploration in other areas, through power cables, etc., It is obviously up to the countries in the region if they want to go ahead with the project, but our concern is that in ten years we want to be all off hydrocarbons and switched to clean energy. So now we need to maximise these solutions that are quick and can benefit everyone.

Q. How does the State Department see the possibility of Turkey buying F16s? Would such a development be compatible with US and NATO interests? And I ask this because Turkey uses U.S. F16s to violate Greek airspace on a continuous, almost daily basis.

• Obviously, the violations and overflights of Greek islands are provocative and we do not support them. As far as the F16s are concerned, these are aircraft that Greece has been using for decades and the process is underway to upgrade the F16s that are in Greece's air fleet. Turkey has expressed interest in the F16s, that discussion is ongoing, but we have not completed the talks.

Q. One last question on Cyprus, if I may. Given Mr. Tatar's clear and systematic rejection of the basis for a solution to the Cyprus problem as set out in the UN Security Council resolutions, I was wondering why senior US officials continue to meet with him? Would you visit, for example, the leaders of the breakaway «republics» of Donbas?;

• It is our policy when we go to the Republic of Cyprus to always visit the “North”. We have been trying for many decades, as you know, and President Biden when he was Vice President and I when I was Deputy Secretary of State, to try to encourage negotiations for a bizonal bicommunal federation. I explained very clearly to Mr Tatar that the United States supports a bizonal bicommunal federation and we do not support the two-state solution that the North has proposed.