Greece tells Turkey to stop 'aggressive posturing' over maritime dispute & engage in talks

Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday, 26 October urged to Turkey to stop its "aggressive posturing” over maritime dispute and engage in dialogue to resolve longstanding Mediterranean border standoff disputes, according to CNA. Earlier this year, diplomats from NATO members Greece and Turkey met in Ans to find mutual common ground on conflicting territorial claims, energy rights including issue related to undersea power cable in disputed eastern Mediterranean waters. 

During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Mitsotakis warned Turkish leer Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressing that Greece has "drawn our lines very, very clearly,” referring to recent defence pact with United States and France, signed earlier this month. Greece signed a defence deal with France for approximately 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion), which includes purchase of three French frigates for Greek navy.

'No intention' of competing against Ankara in an arms race: Mitsotakis

Mitsotakis h me clear that he h “no intention” of competing against Ankara in an arms race but inste emphasised that he plans to resolve differences with neighbouring country through dialogue. 

“We cannot ignore fact that we live in a very complicated neighborhood. It is a reality of geography which we cannot ignore,” Mitsotakis h said during a Democracy Forum conference in Ans.

Furrmore, leer ded, “I do not intend to enter into an arms race with Turkey, and I’m always reaching out a hand of friendship to Turkey. We have big differences on many issues, but re should be a way to solve se differences through dialogue.” 

[Turkish Naval Forces TCG ORUÇREİS and TCG GURBET ships conducting naval trainings in Eastern Mediterranean. Credit: Twitter/@tcsavunma]

On Tuesday, Greek Prime Minister once again stressed that he does not think “re is a geopolitical threat” from Turkey, ding that eventually, Ankara would realise that maritime standoff between two nations in eastern Mediterranean “is not going to le anywhere”. Tensions between two countries escalated last month after Ankara dispatched a seismic research vessel, Oruc Reis, over gas exploration rights in East Mediterranean. As vessel returned to Antalya port, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told reporters in ssaloniki that return of Oruc Reis was a “positive first step”. He furrmore ded, “I hope re will be continuity. We want to talk with Turkey but in a climate without provocations.”