The US Department of State keeps a neutral position, despite the daily massive violations of Greek air space and territorial waters by Turkish aircraft and Coast Guard of recent weeks, especially in the area of the island of Oinousses. In a question posed by Greek journalists in Washington, a state department official refrained form condemning the challenges of the Turkish coast guard in Oinousses and said instead:
“Greece and Turkey have set up diplomatic channels to address the Aegean issues from time to time. We encourage Greece and Turkey to work together to maintain good neighborly relations and to foment peace and stability in the region, a stable Aegean Sea is in the interest of the entire region.”
It is obvious and not differently expected: the USA refrain from intervene unless the two neighbors come to the verge of an armed conflict as it was the case of the islet of Imia in 1996. Years later, then President Bill Clinton said “we intervened back then in order to save some goats.”
Greece is alarmed by the daily violations by Turkey and the Greek Ministry of Defense is concerned that the provocative Turkish behavior aims to create another ‘grey zone’ in the area around the island of Chios, where also the NATO force to stem refugee flows just watching and keeping a “neutral position.”
PS Of course, USA and the NATO are “neutral”, unless they are asked to save some goats…
Throw the American embassy out and invite comedians to visit goats because the main problem is that this is still ignored by the public of Europe, so if something really serious happens it’ll give Turkey much better cards to distort information afterwards – new wikipedia entries should be made f.i. what 16 islands are meant – but last years incident close to Andros when only a warning shot of artillery could stop their warship showed that they didn’t react and their press ignored it also.
Bravo Giaortaki
Visit list for Putin to piss off both, Turkish nationalists and NATO the best way: Fournoi, Oinousses, Arkoi, Farmakonisi, Kalolimnos, Platia, Kyra Panagia, Gyali, Syrna, Gavdos, Dionisiades, Gaidouronisi and Koufonisi but who knows may be the resignation of Davutoglu means Erdogun gets more friendly towards Greece.
yes, Erdogan will marry his 2nd wife in a ceremony on a Greek island :p