There is no issue of a joint Turkish-Italian drilling off Libya, said Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas dismissing claims made by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
“Based on the information we have, there is no question of joint drilling,” Petsas said, noting Italy’s clear condemnation of the Turkish challenges.
He did not revealed the source of information, however, it sounds obvious that they were channeled through the Italian diplomacy.
The government spokesman also dismissed another Turkish claim pointing out at the denial by the Russian Embassy in Athens that Moscow was to diplomatically recognized the Turkish-occupied Cyprus.
“We understand Erdogan’s anger,” Petsas commented on the recent Turkish challenges and provocations.
“We understand the anger. We do not believe that we will have to interrupt discussions on technical scales for the Confidence Building Measures” between the two countries, he said.
“We look forward to a debate that will lead to de-escalation rather than escalation,” he added.
Responding to a question about the International Court of The Hague to settle the bilateral dispute of the Continental Shelf, Petsas said that in order to “get there, other steps must be taken first.
“First is to remove provocative actions, second to build confidence, then to have exploratory negotiations and then the joint signing,” he added.
For two countries to seek justice in the court of The Hague, they have to have previously agreed on the issues they want to be settled.
PS the problem with Greece’s foreign policy and primarily the mainstream media is that it falls to every fireworks launched by Turkey with Erdogan to have the upper hand when it comes to press his neighbor’s sensitive buttons.
