The Greek Foreign Ministry has sharply criticized Turkey for having withdrawn from the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women. He also pointed out that the EU’s foreign policy report on Turkey has omitted reference to important issues.
In a tweet posted late on Sunday, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said:
Turkey's announced withdrawal from @Coe #IstanbulConvention is a setback for #humanrights & a major disappointment. Greece believes that we should step up the fight to combat #ViolenceAgainstWomen. In this context, safeguarding the Istanbul Convention is extremely important https://t.co/1dFAD8WZRr
— Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών (@GreeceMFA) March 21, 2021
Regarding the EU foreign policy report on Turkey, Dendias said it was a positive step, while he noted that the report came with certain omissions.
Η έκθεση Μπορέλ είναι θετική. Προσλαμβάνει σωστά την Τουρκία ως πρόβλημα που αφορά το σύνολο της ΕΕ. Υπάρχουν ελλείψεις, αλλά προτείνει διπλή ατζέντα και περιλαμβάνει σαφώς τη δυνατότητα λήψης μέτρων σε βάρος της Τουρκίας, αν διολισθήσει στην απαράδεκτη παραβατική συμπεριφορά. pic.twitter.com/zExjs2dVOc
— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) March 22, 2021
“The report is positive in principle as it rightly approaches Turkey as a problem that concerns the whole of Europe and underlines the problems caused by Turkey’s behavior,” Dendias said ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council.
Dendias said that a number of Turkish violations had not been included in the report, including Turkey’s “casus belli,” plans to reopen parts of Varosha in the occupied section of Cyprus, and direct violations of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Dendias said he would bring up the omissions at the Foreign Affairs Council.
As usual, Mr Erdogan shows no respect for women! Neither does some of the turkish people… Just keep banging your wives if the dinner is not on the table when you want it. Disgusting!