ANKARA (AA) - Greece doubled down on its anti-Türkiye rhetoric Tuesday saying that Ankara aspires to revive the Ottoman Empire.
The comments by Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias came at a press conference where he referred to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s latest warning to Greece regarding harassment of Turkish warplanes above the Aegean Sea and violation of Turkish airspace by Greek aircraft. The statements, he said, were unacceptable.
Dendias said Türkiye possesses one of the largest landing ship fleets in Europe as well as a strong army as he advocated the “need for militarization” of the Aegean Island, which contradicts Athens’ international obligations.
In the face of Turkish threats, he said, “we remain undeterred.”
But Dendias also said that Greece is committed to international law and dialogue to solve problems with Ankara.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, standing beside Dendias, said that France is carefully monitoring developments in the region.
“No one wants further escalation, and thus everyone should show restraint,” she said, adding that the region does not need tension but peace and mutual respect.
Turkish jets engaged in NATO missions above the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean seas were harassed Aug. 23 by a Russian-made S-300 air defense system stationed on the Greek island of Crete.
Erdogan said Turkish officials continue to raise this issue with NATO.
The Turkish National Defense Ministry sources said Greece violated Türkiye’s airspace and territorial waters more than 1,100 times in the first eight months of this year alone.
Türkiye, a NATO member for more than 70 years, has complained of repeated provocative actions and rhetoric by Greece in the region in recent months, including arming islands near Turkish shores that are demilitarized under a treaty, saying that such moves frustrate its good faith efforts for peace.