Greek Foreign Ministry: We are not affected by the escalation in Turkish rhetoric

“We are not affected by the recent escalation in Turkish rhetoric nor by their provocative actions, we always react with calm, but we leave nothing unanswered and we will continue to protect our national interests,” stressed the Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman, Alexandros Papaioannou.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, the Greek Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that Greece’s official letter to the United Nations deconstructs the Turkish claims.

“Our foreign policy is based on specific values, principles, on the International Law and the Law of the Sea, and our next moves and decisions will be based on these values and principles”, the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson added.

He also stressed that Greece will never go ad hominem on Turkey, instead, it always addresses the positions of Turkey. He also added that Greece wants dialogue with Turkey but on the basis of International Law.

“We respond with prudence and calmness on the basis of International Law and, at the same time, we inform our counterparts and our allies on the latest developments,” he stressed.

Strong demarche to Iran’s ambassador

The Greek Foreign Affairs Ministry submitted a strong demarche to Iran’s ambassador in Athens concerning the “violent seizure” of two Greek-flagged ships by Iranian naval forces in the Persian Gulf, on Friday.

“Apart from the demarche submitted, Greece has also notified both the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as well as allies and partners about the maritime incident,”, the Greek Foreign Ministry Spokesperson added.

He also recalled that there were telephone conversations between the Foreign Minister and his counterparts from the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia, during which this issue was also discussed, while Greece is always in close coordination with the Cypriot Foreign Minister.