FOREIGN MINISTRY ANNOUNCEMENT
Athens , 07-05-2020Regarding statements by Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Alexandros Yennimatas’ gave the following response to a journalist’s question on yesterday’s statements by the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs:
"The provocative violations of our sovereignty in the air and at sea are not legitimized via repetition or becoming "routine".
They remain illegal – in complete violation of international law and counter to the obligations undertaken by a country that says it wants to become a member of the EU – and undermine peace and stability in the region."
More specifically, Athens on Wednesday responded to fresh claims by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu that the sovereignty of certain Greek islands and islets “is not clear” and dismissing last weekend’s incident over the eastern Aegean.
Gennimatas’ response came hours after Cavusoglu said in an interview with Turkey’s TV 100 that “there are islands and islets [in the Aegean] whose sovereignty is not clear.”
He also reiterated claims that 2 Turkish jets which harassed a Greek helicopter carrying Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos and the Chief of the National Defense General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros during visits to the islands of Oinousses, Agathonissi and Farmakonissi on Sunday, were conducting “routine flights” in the area.