The article -proposal of Professor Haris Pamboukis, former Minister of State (2009-2011) supports an International Diplomatic Mediterranean Conference having as aim:

(a) the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone/continental shelf of coastal States (among them Greece and Turkey) and

(b) in the event of unsuccessful negotiation to be referred bilaterally to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for parallel trial in accordance to International Law (Montego Bay Treaty of 1982).

The two-tier procedure aims at finalizing a peaceful, final and total resolution of disputes (due to possible energy resources which provokes antagonism and subsequent tensions).

International Community and especially Europe have to take that initiative in order to avoid military conflict dangerous and unacceptable in the 21st Century.

The proposal supports a peaceful resolution, combining means of international law (dialogue and judicial adjudication but as a two tier obligatory procedure) avoiding the present military tension among Greece and Turkey due to Turkeys neo ottoman expansionist aggressive novel plan called ‘Blue Homeland’.

The already existing dispute among the Turkish -Libya Memorandum and Greece’s – Egypt one from the overlapping areas needs to be resolved.

But the proposal goes beyond as the Conference will have as aim the delimitations of all the Coastal States (, living no space for future residual disputes.

The proposal is in accordance to International Law, aims at the final and peaceful total resolution of disputes in that important and sensitive area and will be unreasonable (or in bad faith) for a Country not to accept to participate.

Especially Turkey has to accept if she is in good faith avoiding any unilateral military threats with neighbor countries and especially Greece.

Although is a very difficult technically task, never tried before it can be achieved with good preparation and good faith.

The area of SE Mediterranean is hyper sensitive and after USA partial retreat (till at least the forthcoming election in which if Biden prevails we hope at a change of Trumps international policy in the Region) Europe should assume responsibility.

The initiative for various reasons, (geographical, political, military) for such a Conference should be taken by France and her visionary President Macron under the present circumstances in the name and with the full support of the European Union plus the understanding of the USA and Russia.

* Το παραπάνω είναι συνοπτική μετάφραση άρθρου του Χάρη Παμπούκη που είχε δημοσιευτεί στο mononews.gr στις 202 Αυγούστου 2020 με τίτλο «Πρόταση για μία Μεσογειακή διάσκεψη ειρηνικής επίλυσης των οριοθετήσεων (με διάλογο και εν τέλει Διεθνές Δικαστήριο)». Ο Χάρης Παμπούκης είναι Καθηγητής Νομικής Σχολής Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών και τ. Υπουργός Επικρατείας.