Monday, November 24, 2014

The head of the Greek delegation at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) Evripides Stylianidis attended the annual session of the NATO PA in The Hague, from November 21 to 24. He succeeded in ensuring the adoption of all Greek positions and amendments in Energy Policy in the Mediterranean, particularly for the Southern Corridor, thus highlighting the significance of Greece in the region.

The original text in several points contained approaches, analyses and terminologies, which affected the Greek positions and were opposed to the International Law, the Law of the Sea and certain decisions of the United Nations in matters relating to the Cyprus issue, the Exclusive Economic Zone and others. Stylianidis initially intervened in the relevant Energy Commission, to which he submitted more than 30 amendments and sought meetings with both the presidium and other National Delegations while he negotiated with the Turkish side, which finally responded positively.

As a result, all Greek amendments were finally adopted while contentious paragraphs were taken out. Diplomats regard this development as a success of the Greek Parliamentary Diplomacy as this is not considered usual practice at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, where typically the reports are approved by majority just as they are submitted by the rapporteurs.