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On June 3rd, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed that Greece “will face all challenges with consistency, stability, confidence and always with a commitment to international law, as it always does” when it comes to Turkey.
Speaking during a meeting with President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, he said that Greece is not contributing to the tension with Turkey and expressed certainty that “we will have the full support of the European Union.
Sakellaropoulou said that Turkey “continues to create tensions, challenging any notion of good-neighborliness and our sovereign rights.” She said Greece will always protect its sovereign rights “with respect for international law.”
Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos also commented on the matter and said that Greece’s red lines are clearly marked, adding that the country does not hesitate to “show its teeth” in the face of external threats.
Panagiotopoulos said Greece had demonstrated its determination during the “organized attempt to violate our borders in Evros.”
“This is how we will react to any other issue,” the minister said.
“We have stated in a very clear and categorical fashion what our red lines are in the event that Turkey’s aggressive behavior escalates,” he said.
In response, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stressed that Ankara’s energy designs, which include drilling in areas demarcated by the Turkish-Libya memorandum, are proceeding as planned.
He said there was readiness for drilling.
Cavusoglu stressed to Turkish TV station 24 TV, are “legal,” while he reiterated one of Ankara’s constant positions, according to which “the islands do not have a continental shelf, only territorial waters that reach 6 nautical miles.”
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European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell urged Ankara to respect the sovereignty of Greece and Cyprus.
In response to questions about Turkish plans to begin hydrocarbon exploration near Greek islands, Borrell said the EU was monitoring developments while being “in close contact” with Athens and Nicosia.
“We are in close contact with our colleagues, the foreign ministers of Greece and also Cyprus, in order to follow the situation of the drillings, and we are calling on Turkey to stop drilling in the areas where there is the EEZ (exclusive economic zone) or territorial waters of Cyprus and Greece,” said Borrell, adding that the Foreign Affairs Council “already delivered a strong message addressed to Turkey.”
Borrell said that Turkey’s violations were an issue of “utmost importance” with regard to Ankara’s EU membership talks.
Following these statements, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has sent letters to top EU officials protesting over Turkey’s activities in the Eastern Mediterranean and the publication in the Turkish government’s gazette of a map outlining areas of the Greek continental shelf where Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) has applied for exploration permits.
he foreign ministers of Greece, Cyprus, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain, a group dubbed the Med7, issued a joint declaration on June 4th, calling on “all countries of the region to respect international law, including the law of the sea, and in particular the sovereignty and sovereign rights of EU member-states.”
The declaration followed a teleconference between the seven countries’ foreign ministers, during which France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain expressed their continued support for Greece and Cyprus vis-a-vis Turkey’s ongoing violations in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean.
The US Department of State also commented on the matter, calling the Turkey-Libya maritime deal “provocative and unhelpful.”
Answering a question posed by the Hellas Journal website, a State Department spokesman noted that the agreement cannot affect the rights or obligations of third states such as Greece
The spokesman reiterated recent statements by US Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Francis Fannon and US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt that Greece’s islands have an exclusive economic zone and a continental shelf.
In comments at a virtual roundtable discussion on the Eastern Mediterranean and the trilateral partnership between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, Fannon said the Turkey-Libya memorandum “cannot as a legal matter affect the rights or obligations of third states” such as Greece.
“International Law, the Convention of the Law of the Sea generally recognises that islands … generally have an EEZ and they have a continental shelf, just as any other land territory, Fannon said. At the same time, an MoU “does not abrogate the rights of states,” he added, “their legal status is recognized, there’s not an equivalency here.”
Fannon noted that the United States has been “very consistent in calling to stop all provocative actions that could undermine investment confidence in the East Mediterranean region” and affect political stability.
“We can’t comment on future actions or what may or may not happen. We certainly just encourage that states stop provocative actions, and stop provocative behavior, and stop provocative statements, and really look at the opportunities that lie before them,” he said.
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War between Greece and Turkey would contribute to the already unstable situation in the region, one more flash point with the potential to trigger a chain of events resulting in world war three. World leaders are not paying enough attention to history. https://www.ghostsofhistory.wordpress.com/
So much to NATO… Greece shouldnt underestimate Turkey, they have the strongest military in Europe after Russia. And they are also more fanatic and crazy.
Yeah, actualy turkey is creating more instability than stability inside NATO…it should be kicked in the ass and excluded…
Turkey its not a European country so that notion doesn’t stand.
Greece also has the third largest conventional army in NATO after USA and Turkey and against Turkey only in the ground forces(its logical since Turkey has larger population) but navy and air force likewise both boost the same numbers, one critical advantage that Greece has though is that has one of the largest and most dense air defence networks something that Turkey lacks even with the recently delivered S-400. Apart from the Hellenic navy, many islands have coastal anti-ship Exocet batteries, another disadvantage for Turkey at the moment is that they are involved already in two fronts, they cant have a third front now with a peer adversary.
Regardless of all, I want to warn everyone that right now the chances for an armed conflict between Greece and Turkey is higher than ever, if Turkey do try to send a ship to conduct underwater survey for oil/gas in the Greek zone, there are clear orders and green light already to sink it and if any turkish frigate escorting that research ship intervene will be fired upon as well, open the door for a larger full scale war.
The Turks say their research ship will start working in the next month or September tops.
Time will tell if Turkey wants to open Pandora’s box.
Yes you may be right but who will stand by Greece in a war with Turkey – certainly not the cowardly Germans or Italians or any other NATO member. Greece will face Turkey alone, just like LNA is doing in Libya where all the promises of support from Russia, Egypt, UAE , AND Greece turned out fake and Turkey invaded and waged massive operation unhindered and ongoing.
Good luck to the Greeks, but the Turks will like always rely on numbers and overwhelming firepower. Would be a nice time to have the Serbs at your back. Constantinople fell because the Greeks isolated themselves.
My friend the difference here is that Turkey does not have the absolute numbers to feel comfortable for a full scale attack and Turkey does not do a move if not sure that can win and dont forget that Turkey is already spread out in many fronts.
We have the same size air force and and navy which is the most important branches that can make the difference, at least in first hours, days.
Only in ground forces Turkey has advantage and only in total number of troops and tanks which the vast majority of them are trash and obsolete but they like to keep them just to show numbers. Do not expect any large ground battle WW2 style, Greece has more than enough for ground operations, 1300 tanks(Leo 2 and 1 mostly), more than 500 of SPGs(M109 and PZH 2000), many rocket artillery(M270 MLRS, RM-70), APACHE, Chinook, NH-90, one of the largest stockpile of guided anti-tank missiles(MILAN, KORNET, TOW). The only land that a land battle can happen is in Thrace, in evros river which is very compact area and its suicide for anyone to try to cross. As I said Turkey not only have to deal with the Hellenic air force but also the dense air defences which consist 6 Patriot Pac 3 batteries, 2 S-300 batteries, 7 Improved Hawk III batteries, 25 Tor-m1, 40 OSA-AKM, 11 Crotale. The fact that Turkey wants to conduct underwater survey just 6 n.m east of the island of Crete that gives an edge, its close to our shores and far from turkish mainland, it will be easily defended, just one type 214 sub there will sink the research ship and any turkish ship escorting it.
Turkey only crows when the Yanks and Franco Britons have their back. As they did since 1920. They only won in Cyprus due to traitorous and fooled colonels Rule. Not one aircraft attacked the Turkish invading force and not one sub or ship was allowed to fire on them. 1000 Greeks and Cypriots held up the Turks at Nicosia Airport. The Turks only invaded because they were greenlit by the Yanks and found the stupid and traitorous Colonels and Cyprus in Civil War.
In1996 ,once again ,the Greek Navy would have sent the Turk fleet to the bottom . It held off supposedly at lintons urging. Big mistake , Greece shouod have ignored Clinton just as Haftar should gave ignored Russia .attack!! Attack!!
You know your situation better than I And I hope you’re right my friend.
very concise and relevant comment! …
Greece also has probably the most seasoned airforce pilots in the world from constant mock dogfighting. In addition ,Greece has a tradition of warriors and winning against all odds.
? shouldn’t underestimate Hellas
When the Greeks Cry, America will no longer give them milk.
Greeks never needed usa (period) you dementy kweer assflogged facist troll needs to get an education on history mr need another 6 army degenerate nazi weakling!
You are talking about “Greeks”. Today’s men in Greece are hardly Greeks. Have you been to Greece? Do they look like descendants of Greeks? They don’t ‘cuz they are not.
Yes we are Greeks and descendants of ancient Greeks, jealously wont do good for your health boy.
Mate I’ve been to both Turkey and Greece. You guys are almost identical. And no; you guys are no Greek in the sense you people mention it. Although not majority, a good percentage of ancient Greeks were blonds. I barely bumped into any blondies. So no. You guys are not descendats of ancient Greeks.
And honestly, that claim sounds like crazy Turks saying “We are the descendants of Ottomans!” Like wtf? Ottoman was just a family. Either that family fucked the entirity of Turkey and have descendants in legions, or these Turks are crazy. My vote is on the latter.
Don’t be like them.
I dont care where you have been, but we are descendants of Greeks and our DNA remains the same after of thousands of years according to many public studies and research. I dont wait for a uneducated bob like you to tell me what or not am I. Go look first your own history which I bet you dont have.
Greeks have very similar DNA and almost identical look like Italians, basically the South of Europe look a lot each other, its the climate because its a lot sunnier that central and northern Europe, but white comes in different tones, like blacks do, go in Africa and you will see nations to be a lot darker then others, compare black Americans to some African nations and you will see huge difference in the tone of their black skin. Blonds in Greece never were a thing it was rare thing then as it is today, there are some but very few, then and nowadays. Also just because your knowledge in history sucks, many Turks that live in Constantinople or Asian minor, in the coast of Aegean are mixed with European blood, especially Greek but others too, thats why they dont look so much as mongols, like those in the central and east side of Turkey. In Ottoman empire they were many tribes and nationalities, thats why Turks are bastards basically, some look more mongolian and some others more European.
The point being there are a lot of blue eyed greeks,half of my relatives but more to the point brave orthodox peoples well see who back down when the trouble starts,crazy is one thing,but being more dynamic and came with birth in the breeding can never be underestimated,ye nazis like italians an albanians found out the hard way,but of course the purist facists never had the gutr to admit it!
Plus of course so far Turkey has been able to flout just about every UN/EU/NATO ” warnings ” etc.. because ever since Turkey invaded northern Cyprus in 1974 it has become clear that no-one, no individual NATO member, nor Russia, US, France Egypt GB, dares to stand up to Ottoman agression : Cyprus, northern Syria, Libya show how Turkey treats with contempt all the huffing ang puffing hot air weak “protestations” knowing full well that no real armed action will follow. So much for “red lines”Op Irini, UNSC Resolutions, arms “embargoes “- all ignored and flouted with impunity. The only way to stop the Turks is immediate, massive, military force, but by whom ?? No-one, least of all Greece who failed miserably to confront Turkey to protect Cyprus. Pathetic posturing.
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When the Greek makes its first nonsense, Thrace will be severed from it.
Hey p00fta in greece you kweers get belted,your are not orthodox so if you and your kweer bumchum mention any such lies,you will get the most severe flogging as in all situations,never try to demean nor lie about the truth or will get belted! assflogged,yes p00ftar,infact greece stringent examination any one ass tampered with ,mean out,not worthy from greek military (period) sprogmouth!
Greek alice lives in wonderland. In the first mistake of Greece, Eastern Thrace will be divided and some of the islands will be disposed of. Because Greece deserves this.
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In ww2 greece smashed italy and albania in 10 days and disposed the nazis in 221 days a feat no other nation on earth other than cccp could achieve to be frank and yes they hatred commmunist warriors,but the difference between then bravados,they were told they will either return dead or missing both legs so don’t expect any easy allies so you could imagine how they fought like no other may cccp when it came to defend mainland freedom and the brits =cowards RE: BRITAINS DIRTY LITTLE SECRET: However that being said,if they were to get in a war with their neighbours,to be frank both would end up fkd (period)
Greeco strönk
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And again,you just don’t get do you,fekn stinking liar!
Greeco strönks
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dream on greeks – you will fold in seconds flat when push comes to shove and cyprus will be turkish again.
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=)))))!!!!!!!!…..
Nowadays Turkey engaged two warfronts, in Syria and Libya. Could Turkey can afford another warfront against Greece?
and greece, feeble and indecisive won’t do nothing and since erdogan is reconstructing parts of the osman empire, greece will soon be a miniscule part of turkey – and before he’s finished the jews in palestine will have been turned into mince meat.
lol useless mongol Turk, if Turkey had the power to do what you say, they would have tried years ago but they dont. Just try to send your research ship in Greek waters and see what happens. All those years you are just words but you haven’t yet find the courage to do it.
Greece will do nothing. The new tourist sesaon is just starting, right after Corona. They are opening their borders for tourists on June 15th.
No one cares about tourism when national interests are at stake, Greece will do whatever is necessary to stop any Turkey survey in its waters, stay on, you will see it.
Probably Turkey won’t do nothing. The tourist season is very important for their crumbling economy.
“France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain expressed their continued support for Greece and Cyprus vis-a-vis Turkey’s ongoing violations in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean” … are you kidding?! …especialy Italy…I suppose they are very against islamist turkey…
Italy has fully supported and backed to the hilt Sarraj Effendi the Quisling Bey of Tripoli and the neo-Ottoman invasion of Libya – of all EU and NATO members Italy and Germany will never, ever stand up to the Ottoman . ” Greece is ready for military confrontation ” Really ? Ever since 1974 when Turkey invaded Cyprus, occupied, settled and set-up their Turkish colony, Greece has failed to stand up to Ottoman aggression – not surprising as NATO will always preference Turkey over Greece, no country will assist Greece in a shooting war with Turkey. After all so far the neo Ottoman invasions of northern Syria, Afrin, Idlib and now Libya have progressed with ZERO pushback from any NATO member, or Russia, or Egypt for all the talk. So don’t expect Greece to actually fire on any Turkish force,whether land, sea, or air. No-one else dares confront Turkey, how can little Greece ?
Italy always is the bootlick and in the end Greece will once again pull off a Marathon or Houthi!
Like all islamist scumbags around the world, turks are backed by DoS in everything they do…if turkey desire something, DoS will do anything in their power to support them get it…
Italians are pussies. On the day they promised to sign the East Med contract they went out on naval manouvres with the Turks. Hahaha All this whilst the Turks were invading lots given by Cyprus to Italian petrochemical companies for exploration.
The last brave Italian warriors were those with Garibaldi in 1860s and those in the Alps in WWI.
All the rest and their leaders were pansies and sneaks.
Don’t forget the cowardly Germans who suck up to USA and Turkey at every opportunity and get humiliated by Turkey daily – terrified of the 3-4 million Turks in Germany and Erdoghan threats to send more “refugees ” via Greece.
North/north eastern greece the weakest part and governments regardless are al sissys who like wearing white tights,definate turk advantage,southern greece different story they would send the turks to the waters,and that is not a jike either,best Greece not rely on lgbtq allies but rather make peace with its neighbours,and develop something together,to hell with cia!