Türkiye's President Erdogan "had already opened the channels of dialogue," but the Greek Prime Minister Kiryakos Mitsotakis "could not take advantage of this opportunity," Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun says.
Türkiye's Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun has said that President Erdogan "gave the Mitsotakis government a chance and opened the channels for dialogue" but the Greek prime minister "did not take advantage of this opportunity."
"Greece only harms itself by opposing Türkiye self-interestedly or relying on third-party countries" Altun told Greek newspaper Kathimerini on Sunday.
His comments come after Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis criticised Türkiye during his recent trip to the United States. Mitsotakis urged the US Congress not to allow F-16 fighter jets to be sold to Ankara.
In response, Erdogan said Mitsotakis “no longer exists” for him following a Cabinet meeting on Monday, canceling a meeting that was planned to be held between the two governments this year.
Altun reiterated the president's remarks during an interview with Kathimerini, adding that it is "up to Türkiye to decide on its own as a sovereign state where our drilling ships would conduct their operations."
Asked whether there would be a meeting between Erdogan and Mitsotakis, Fahrettin Altun said, "I don't think there will be such a meeting under the current conditions."
Altun emphasised that Türkiye wishes to have good relations with all its neighbours and to ensure peace and stability in the region.
"Greece has been the party responsible for escalating the tension in the Aegean for several months," said Altun adding that Ankara has "the resources and capabilities to respond to any move."
Director of Communications @fahrettinaltun spoke to the Greek newspaper Kathimerini 👇 pic.twitter.com/CY93e9jUKi
— Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications (@Communications) July 24, 2022
Lausanne Peace Treaty
Türkiye, in recent months, has also stepped up criticism of Greece stationing troops on islands in the eastern Aegean, near the Turkish coast and in many cases visible from shore.
These islands were required to be demilitarised under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Treaty of Paris, so any troops or weapons on the islands are strictly forbidden.
On Sunday, Erdogan released a statement of the 99th anniversary of the signing of the Lausanne Peace Treaty, one of the founding documents of the Republic of Türkiye.
Erdogan said the treaty drew up land borders, abolished capitulations, secured the rights of the Turkish minority remaining in Greece and confirmed the non-military status of the Greek islands close to Türkiye's coasts.
"However, recently, especially by Greece, the conditions registered in the treaty, especially the rights of the Turkish minority, have been ignored," said Erdogan.
"It is impossible for our country to accept this situation, which is incompatible with good neighbourly relations and the principle of loyalty to the treaty," he added.
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(With input from news agency language)
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