Editorial Ta Nea: Maintaining geopolitical balances

Greek diplomacy is taking a low-key approach toward today’s meeting between Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Sochi, Russia.

It was clear from the start that the re-start of Greece-Russia relations, which were frozen during the previous administration, would be neither easy nor swift.

Yet, it is mandatory and necessary because a fundamental aim of Athens is to emerge as a force of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, in contrast to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

To accomplish this, it must keep open the lines of communication with Russia.

Geopolitical balances are at stake. Russia has open fronts with both the EU and the US, but it also has traditional, historic ties with Greece.

Regarding Greek-Turkish differences and the Cyprus problem, Russia is near to the position that these should be resolved through the implementation of international law.

Lavrov’s recent statement that Greece has a sovereign right to extend to 12-miles its territorial waters helped create a more constructive environment for bilateral contacts.

Greece could even act as a mediator between Russia and its allies, knowing that in geopolitical terms it also needs support in negotiations with Turkey, in which a fresh impasse could prove dangerous.

Greece-Russia relations require a step in a positive direction each time. The agenda for talks between the two foreign ministers includes issues on which both countries are counting.

That mutual interest will be the key to the next day.