President of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou has pledged the country’s commitment to dialogue with Turkey as she describes Greece as “a pillar of stability in the south-eastern Mediterranean and the broader region.”
In an interview with local media, Sakellaropoulou said that regardless of the tensions between Greece and Turkey, including recent events in the Evros border region and the Aegean Sea, “we are neighbours, and we will remain neighbours.”
“Neighbours need each other,” she said.
While affirming that Greece “wants dialogue” with Turkey, Sakellaropoulou made it clear that Greece is well-equipped to defend its national sovereignty against external threats.
Earlier this week, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar claimed that Turkey is in the right with the problems between themselves and Greece and claimed that it “continues its provocative actions and provocative rhetoric.”
While mentioning the territorial disputes with Athens, he stressed that while Turkey wants dialogue, he will not allow it to violate their rights.
Irritated by Greece’s armaments programs, Akar said it is placing itself under a great financial burden and “causing harm to the Greek people.”
If these programs are with Turkey in mind, he stressed, they are not enough, if they are for defense reasons, they are too many.
Source: Ekathimerini
