Turkey claims it worries about Greek FM Kotzias’ “non peaceful behavior”

The Turkish Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Hami Aksoy expressed concern early on Feb. 17 about the Greek foreign minister’s remarks regarding the Greek’s attitude towards Turkey. In a statement posted on the website of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Aksoy said that Greek Minister Nikos Kocias’ statement, which he gave to a TV channel on Feb. 16, saying that Greece would show “non peaceful behavior” to Turkey was “worrisome.”

After the Imia incident where a Turkish Coast Guard boat rammed a patrol boat of the Greek Coast Guard – see Video here, Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias made it very clear that Turkey in Imia “reached a red line and in a sense crossed it” and said the obvious: Greece will not react so peacefully the next time an incident happens.

In the statement Ankara recalled Tuesday’s phone conversation between the prime ministers of both sides and said that Turkey stressed its expectation from Greece to take necessary measures to lower the tension in the Aegean Sea.

“We are concerned and dismayed by the remarks of Mr. Nikos Kocias, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, stating that Greece may resort to a “non-peaceful behavior” against our country, as reflected on some media outlets yesterday (16 February).

The Prime Ministers of the two countries held a telephone conversation only a few days ago. As clearly seen in the press release issued by the Office of our Prime Minister regarding this call, it is emphasized that we were disturbed by the recent tension in the Aegean Sea with our neighbor Greece, and that we expected Greece to take necessary measures to de-escalate the current tension. Thus, the need for focusing on the solution of the problems through dialogue and consolidation of confidence building measures were further stressed during the conversation that took place in a positive atmosphere, despite differing views.

In this regard, we reiterate that our country prefers decreasing tension in the Aegean.

However, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece adopts a non-peaceful and presumptuous stance incompatible with the responsibility that his political position requires.

We invite the Greek Foreign Minister to act with common sense in accordance with the shared expectations exchanged during the conversation between the two Prime Ministers.”

Despite the differences between the two countries, the conversation was held in a positive atmosphere and confidence building measures were discussed, as well as focusing on the solutions of the problems via dialogue, he added.

“In this framework, we once again stress that our country support the de-escalation of tensions in the Aegean Sea,” the statement said, adding: “But, unfortunately, it seems that Greek Foreign Minister has adopted an approach that is non peaceful, crosses the line, and far from the responsibility required by his political position.”

He also called on the Greek minister to be sensible in accordance with the common wishes made by the Turkish and Greek PMs during the phone call.

The Greek answer to distorted reality claims by Ankara was prompt. Spokesman Alexandros Gennimatas said that it it Turkey that systematically violates the international law and has no connection with reality.

“Turkey is systematically violating international law and continuously crossing red lines. When it is called to back to order, it complains and reacts as if it is not in touch with the reality it is creating.

Greece is the country of sober, responsible, peaceful behavior. This is an element of its power. It insists on dialogue and the peaceful resolution of disputes, in line with modern European civilization. Turkey has to adopt it. In addition, it has to respect international law as well as the law of the sea,” the Greek Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

So far there has been no reaction by Ankara to the video footage showing the Turkish boat ramming the Greek patrol boat.

PS We have a nice saying in Greek that perfectly fits to Ankara’s Saturday claims: Εκεί που μας χρωστούσανε μας πήραν και το βόδι (while they were owing us , in the end they took also our ox) – The English equivalent would be “give them a hand, they’ll take an arm” or “give them an inch, they’ll take a mile”