Greek PM: Relations with Turkey not low like 2020

ATHENS - The Associated Press

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Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis sought to reassure his compatriots late June 14 that despite strong rhetoric from Turkey, relations are not at the low of 2020 when the neighbors’ warships were shadowing each other in the eastern Mediterranean.

In an interview with state broadcaster ERT, Mitsotakis dismissed Turkey’s questioning of Greek sovereignty over many of the eastern Greek islands, including the popular resorts of Rhodes, Kos and Samos just off western Turkey, as “completely irrational.”

“Turkey’s complaints are completely irrational to the extent that they question Greek sovereignty over the eastern Ae-gean islands,” Mitsotakis said. “I don’t think a single thinking human being, including in Turkey, believes that nowadays Greece can threaten Turkey.”

Mitsotakis said that “if basic sense prevails” relations will not deteriorate further. Otherwise, he added, “we will do what is necessary.”

Mitsotakis said, however, that relations were not yet at the point where both countries sent warships to the eastern Mediterranean in a dispute over gas and oil exploration rights in 2020.

“There is high verbal tension, but we don’t yet have, and I hope we don’t reach that point, tension in the field,” he said.

“Turkey often adopts precisely such rhetoric,” he added.

“We must meet, and we must talk,” Mitsotakis told ERT.