Mitsotakis: Greece, Cyprus will never resign from right to self-defense

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday underlined that both Greece and Cyprus will never resign from the “paramount right”, as he said, to self-defense, speaking with visiting Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades by his side.

The statement was obviously aimed at the neighboring Erdogan-led Turkey, and in light of the most recent provocation by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said he and his Turkish Cypriot allies will “open” a portion of the closed off and abandoned east Cypriot resort district of Varosha. The latter lies in Turkish-occupied Cyprus, but remains cordoned off and the subject of two UNSC resolutions calling for the return of its Greek Cypriot inhabitants.

Mitsotakis and Anastasiades appeared for joint statements after concluding their meeting at the Maximos Mansion government house in central Athens.