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 the longstanding Mediterranean border standoff disputes, according to CNA. Earlier this year, the diplomats from NATO members Greece and Turkey met in Athens to find mutual common ground on the conflicting territorial claims, energy rights including the issue related to the undersea power cable in disputed eastern Mediterranean waters. 

During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Mitsotakis warned Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressing that Greece has "drawn our lines very, very clearly,” referring to the recent defence pact with the 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 the purchase of three French frigates for the Greek navy.

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

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

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

Furthermore, the leader added, “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 there should be a way to solve these differences through dialogue.” 

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

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