‘Neo-Ottoman bullying’: Greek Foreign Minister slams Turkish provocations

·

Greece’s Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias met with his French counterpart, Catherine Colonna in Athens on Tuesday.

During Colonna’s first official visit to Athens, Dendias referred to the recent threats coming from Ankara stating that Turkey wants “to turn back the clock of history and to revive the Ottoman Empire.”

“Turkey’s statements and actions are unacceptable and reprehensible. But, we are not deterred. Nor are we afraid. We have faced far more serious threats in our history,” he said.

“We reject neo-Ottoman bullying. We will not get caught up in this delirium,” he said.

During her visit to Turkey the previous day, Colonna met with Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, telling him that there should be no escalation.

“I fully share the position you expressed to our Turkish counterpart,” Dendias said.

Colonna said France’s position remains unchanged, with the nation continuing to be “supportive” when it comes to attacks on Greek sovereignty.

The meeting comes as Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, repeated a threat that Turkey will “come down suddenly one night” on the Greek islands, during his official visit to Bosnia yesterday.

Referring to the rising tensions over Greek sovereignty of the Aegean islands, Erdogan said: “these islands have military bases and if the illegal threats continue, there will be an end to patience.”

The Turkish President also reiterated that Greek surface-to-air missiles locked on to Turkish F-16 fighter jets carrying out a reconnaissance mission in international airspace last month. Athens has rejected these allegations.

Just last week, Turkey’s Foreign Minister wrote to all EU capitals, accusing Greece of engaging in “unlawful actions” and making “maximalist demands” in the Aegean.

In the September 1 letter, Cavusoglu stated Greece is violating “the non-military status of the Eastern Aegean Islands,” whilst questioning the width of territorial waters and national airspace that Greece is claiming.

“Greece claims to have 10 nautical miles of airspace despite the width of the territorial waters in the Aegean being 6 nautical miles,” he wrote.

“Greece is the only country in the world which has non-overlapping territorial waters and airspace borders that are not recognized by any other country.”

He went on to describe Ankara as pro-dialogue and Athens as “avoiding dialogue and escalating tensions.”

Back in Athens, the French Foreign Minister also met with Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, where she was provided an update on Turkey’s aggressive rhetoric.

Mitsotakis said Turkey’s actions were causing tension, whilst undermining security and stability in the region.

The pair also discussed Greece’s role as a strategic energy hub for the EU’s energy security and the potential independence from Russian energy sources.

SOURCE: Ekathimerini

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Victorian government launches Anti-Hate Taskforce after wave of antisemitic attacks

A man has been charged in connection with an alleged arson attack on a historic synagogue in East Melbourne.

Summer soundtrack: The ultimate guide to Greek concerts and festivals in 2025

Wherever you are in the country, The Greek Herald has the inside scoop on must-see performances to catch during your summer escape.

Michael Zannis: The Greek Aussie cricket star redefining blindness

Michael Zannis has turned his ‘disability’ into his superpower. He lives as everyone else does and is thriving.

Greek olive oil today: Production, use and export data

Greek olive oil is consumed in large quantities in Greece today. Still, the small population leaves plenty of oil for export.

Greece ranks fifth highest in Europe for short-term rental prices

Greece has become the fifth most expensive destination in Europe for short-term rentals, with the average nightly rate reaching 250 euros.

You May Also Like

Sydney’s lockdown extended for another week

New South Wales’s COVID lockdown has been extended for another week and will be in place until midnight on Friday, July 16.

Australian Hellenic Choir holds benefit concert for Sydney University’s Modern Greek Department

The Australian Hellenic Choir (AHC) performed at the Great Hall of the University of Sydney (USYD) on Sunday.

Vicky Moscholiou: The iconic Greek folk singer

Vicky Moscholiou was an iconic Greek folk singer well-known for her stage debut next to Grigoris Bithikotsis at the Triana club.