
Once again we had our say on Geopolitical issues which affect the shipping industry and which might jeopardise peace on Planet Ocean…
On the Ukraine, Middle East and Migrants on going crises: All I can say for the moment (Faraclas said) is the obvious, that these crises are interconnected, and none can be solved on its own. For instance, it is interesting that Russia has been attempting to ‘push’ groups of migrants across the border into Finland, which has in response closed three border crossings. A similar manoeuvre was tried a year ago to ‘feed’ benighted groups of migrants into Poland…
On the Hamas vs. Israel recent and unfortunately ongoing despicable conflict / following a statement on the conflict: (dated 22 October 2023):
The attempt by Israel to drive thousands of Palestinians into the sea can only cause:
a) Palestinian resistance and possibly attacks on the European and American mainland,
b) enormous anger in many Middle East nations,
and c) ructions in the so-called Social Democratic parties (including the UK Labour Party) putting their leaders such as Kier Starmer on the spot – stressing to Mr. Stamatopoulos, that “as you know, there have already been many resignations from the Labour Party”.
On president Putin’s stance : “Some say that Putin has stoked the Gaza crisis in an attempt to strengthen his hand in the Ukraine conflict.” Also that fact that… ” it is too difficult to see any Russian leader losing in Ukraine”…
Back on the Conflict in the Middle East: It is now recognised that Netanyahu’s future is on the brink – if the conflict eases there will be space for his opponents to turf him out of the prime-ministerial post. That could mean he will lose parliamentary immunity against corruption charges. It might be recalled that, according to the Israeli press, “For years, the various governments led by Benjamin Netanyahu took an approach that divided power between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank — bringing Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to his knees while making moves that propped up the Hamas terror group.
The idea was to prevent Abbas — or anyone else in the Palestinian Authority’s West Bank government — from advancing toward the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Thus, amid this bid to impair Abbas, Hamas was upgraded from a mere terror group to an organization with which Israel held indirect negotiations via Egypt, and one that was allowed to receive infusions of cash from abroad. (from The Times of Israel newspaper).
We emphasised that: “Talk about a policy backfiring in a spectacular way!”
Moreover we focused on the Shipping Industry with attacks by the Houthi and how important are for the Families of Seafarers having their loved ones at risk.
The “composition” of Planet Ocean’s dire straits given that the majority are in nations having Islam as their religion, notably: Half of Gibraltar, Constantinople and the Dardanelles, Suez, Aden, Hormuz… Faraclas was explicit on this…
The issue with Greece being very close with the Ukrainian conflict only 450/480 – 650 KM away from the borders of Ukraine up to Crimea respectively, and making a comparison with the distance of about 620 KM from the Port of Igoumenitsa in West/Northern Greece to Alexandroupolis in North/Eastern Greece so that the the viewers can understand the danger of proximity… same applies from the Middle Eastern Conflict… the issue here being an unwanted spreading with hostilities and then conversely to war…
The Migrants “movement” this year with 6 (six) million plus and how same are “distributed”, say in Canada – one million, in the USA, in Europe etc etc
The Turkish usage of Migrants not only from the Middle East / Afhanistan region – fault line as we call it which also includes the Lisbon/Gibraltar point, but from sub-Saharan countries too flying to Turkiye and then crossing over to the Greek Island of the Aegean and land border between Greece and Turkey…
The behaviour of Turkiye over the last twenty years with a dangerous escalation which questions its presence in NATO and how Turkiye responds with both the Ukrainian Russian conflict and that on the Middle East and its president’s despicable statements…
The past relationship with Turkiye and Israel which is now null and void and how same was affecting Greece and the now, as Greece and Israel are the defenders in South East Europe and the East Med / Middle East…
How MIGRANTS affect the social cohesion… He contested Victoria Rietig, the Migration expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations, a research body but agreeing coincidentally that Migration is not a problem to be solved, but a reality we can only hope to manage with results…
Many other points and references were made and also raised… such as Faraclas’ visit in the newly established 12 year old Israeli State during his Easter 1960 holidays in Haifa when his late father, a ship’s master at the time with the s/s Santa Maria, a 15,000 dwt tweendecker discharging grains, a charity assistance/help from the Canadian Jews to Israel and how pleased he was seeing all these nice developments and built up of the new state of Israel, but also how the Arabs / Palestinians were treated – too much policing. He also referred on how MIGRANTS from the Middle East and other adjacent areas behave in Europe today…
There was a mentioning on the forthcoming USA’s elections with Faraclas being supportive for a woman, a business woman challenger… as both Biden and Trump have issues – from age down to delivering results benefiting the USA and the World at large…
A final note statement by Faraclas of the Middle East conflict, is the creation of the two states – a Palestinian and Israeli one and an immediate / mutual recognition of each other as well as all Arab states and others to recognise Israel; the new Palestinian state should imperative having a link between Gaza and the West Bank as well as the presence of 150,000 Blue Helmets by the UN to safeguard/observing Peace.
On a plus and happy note reference was made for the 3rd Annual Onassis’ Awards in London’s Guildhall on the 7th of November and the Greek Travel Awards at Six Park Place at St. James off the Green Park following the World Travel Market in London’s ExCel on the 8th of November…
On sad note, with high constructive criticism on the war ship, the destroyer “Velos” – the symbol of the Greek Navy’s revolt (1973) against the 1967-1974 Greek Junta, being severely damaged by the weather in Thessaloniki – being at the wrong place berthed with her stern… and the responsibility resting with the Greek Governments over the last five years (at least)… mentioning also the need for at least one floating repair dock in Northern Greece’s Ports, either that of Thessaloniki, or Kavala or Alexandroupolis…
Listen to the live TV interview above and comment.
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*Andreas Stamatopoulos, PhDc, MA History, News Director at Vergina TV in Thessaloniki, Greece.