Greece will guarantee the safe sailing of boats currently in its waters as part of an international flotilla heading to Gaza, its foreign minister said on Thursday, adding that Athens had informed Israel that Greek citizens were in the flotilla.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is using about 50 civilian boats to try to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza. Many lawyers and activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, are on board.
“There are a small number of boats currently in the waters of Crete, and we will guarantee the safe sailing,” Giorgos Gerapetritis told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“We have already informed the Israeli government about the participation of Greek citizens in this, and we will make sure that everything goes well.”
Israel has repeatedly criticized the flotilla, accusing its activists of complicity with the Hamas militant group.
Italy sent a navy ship to the flotilla’s assistance after the vessels were attacked by 12 drones in international waters 30 nautical miles (56 km) off the Greek island of Gavdos.
Gerapetritis said Athens was not planning to join Italian and Spanish naval ships at this stage.
He played down the drone incident, but said there would be a full inquiry to determine what happened.
“At the moment, it seems that it is safe, but we are on full alert about it,” he said.
Greece to guarantee safe sailing of Gaza flotilla in its waters, minister says
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Greece to guarantee safe sailing of Gaza flotilla in its waters, minister says
- Athens had informed Israel that Greek citizens were in the flotilla
- Italy sent a navy ship to the flotilla’s assistance after vessels were attacked
Ukraine, US, Europe still seeking common ground in peace talks, French official says
- French presidency official: “The European perspective of Ukraine is clear and it’s a realistic perspective”
PARIS: Ukraine, the United States and European powers are still working to find a joint position that would outline the contours of a peace deal, including security guarantees for Kyiv, that could be taken to Russia, a French presidency official said on Friday.
“Our goal is to have a common foundation that is solid for negotiation. This common ground must unite Ukrainians, Americans and Europeans,” the official told reporters in a briefing.
“It should allow us, together, to make a negotiating offer, a solid, lasting peace offer that respects international law and Ukraine’s sovereign interests, an offer that American negotiators are willing to bring to the Russians.”
The official said there was no joint document yet, but all sides would carry on negotiations in the coming days through various calls and meetings. He did not say whether Washington had set a deadline.
Kyiv is under pressure from the White House to secure a quick peace but is pushing back on a US-backed plan proposed last month that many see as favorable to Moscow.
Britain, France and Germany, along with other European partners and Ukraine, have been working frantically in the last few weeks to refine the original US proposals that envisaged Kyiv giving up swathes of its territory to Moscow, abandoning its ambition to join NATO and accepting limits on the size of its armed forces.
The French official said the talks aimed at narrowing differences with the United States and centered on territory and potential security guarantees for Ukraine once there is a peace accord.
Those discussions include the possibility of a NATO Article-5 type clause involving Washington that would seek to reassure Kyiv in case it was once again attacked by Russia, the official said.
The Europeans have also faced pressure in recent weeks with some American proposals touching on elements that concern NATO and the European Union, including suggestions on fast-tracking Ukraine’s accession to the bloc.
“The European perspective of Ukraine is clear and it’s a realistic perspective,” the official said. “That is what we are committed to and it is up to the Europeans and the Ukrainians to agree on how to proceed.”
