The Greek Foreign Ministry on Wednesday rejected renewed Turkish claims concerning the defense of the Greek islands, stressing that Greece has the right to take the necessary measures to defend its territory.
The response came after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the military presence on Greek islands in the Aegean as a “threat” to Turkey and reiterated Ankara’s position that Greece should comply with what Turkey says are demilitarization obligations under international treaties.
Responding to Fidan’s remarks, Foreign Ministry spokesman Panagiotis Giannakoulias said that Greece conducts its foreign policy “sovereignly and independently” and rejected claims that the country was being used to destabilize the region.
According to Giannakoulias, Greece has demonstrated in practice that it works consistently for regional and international peace and stability and poses no threat to any country.
Turning to the defense of the Greek islands, the spokesman said that Greece, like every state, safeguards the defense and security of its entire territory.
He also rejected Turkey’s repeated claims regarding the demilitarization of Greek islands, arguing that they have no legal basis under international law. Giannakoulias said the status of the Greek islands in the eastern Aegean is clearly defined by international treaties currently in force and maintained that Greece, as a sovereign state, is entitled to take all necessary measures to exercise its right to self-defense.
The Foreign Ministry also pointed to Turkey’s longstanding casus belli against Greece, referring to the Turkish Parliament’s 1995 declaration concerning a possible Greek extension of its territorial waters in the Aegean.
“The characterization of the defensive protection of Greek territory as a ‘threat’ is not only unfounded but also paradoxical when, in violation of international law, Turkey continues to maintain a threat of war (casus belli) against Greece in the event that it exercises a lawful sovereign right,” Giannakoulias said.
Despite the dispute, the spokesman said Athens remained committed to dialogue and good-neighborly relations with Ankara.
“Greece remains committed to good-neighborly relations and dialogue, which, however, require full respect for international law and abstention from threats and unfounded claims,” he concluded.
Source: ANA-MPA, translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
