Greece’s foreign minister, Nikos Dendias, has responded to Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after recent threats were made to hit Athens with ballistic missiles.
Tensions between Greece and Turkey have risen in recent months around territorial claims in the Aegean Sea and energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean.
On Saturday, Erdogan announced at a town hall meeting in the northern Turkish city of Samsun, that Turkey is making its own short-range ballistic missiles called Tayfun. The Turkish President said it was “frightening the Greeks.”
According to Ekathimerini, Minister Dendias responded on Monday and said: “It is unacceptable and universally condemnable for threats of a missile attack against Greece to be made by an allied country, a NATO member.”
Minister Dendias response also comes as Turkey accused Greece of violating international agreements by conducting a military exercise in the Aegean recently.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said: “Greece needs to renounce its violation. Either it steps back on the issue and abides by the agreement or we’ll do whatever is necessary.”
Greece maintained it needs to defend against potential attacks from Turkey, considering Turkey has a sizable military force on the Turkish coast close to the islands and the recent missile threats.
The US State Department has also commented with disappointment on the threats by President Erdogan towards Greece on Monday.
The department urged allies to avoid threats and provocative statements and stated stating that this is a time when unity is more important than ever among US allies.
Source: Ekathimerini.
