“The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias, in his joint statements with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglou, highlighted Greece’s positions in a clear and decisive manner and starkly raised the issue of Turkey’s provocations and Ankara’s unilateral claims. This may have surprised some people. Both here in Greece and abroad.
Greece, however, says the same thing both at home and abroad. The orders of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis are that we speak the same language, the language of truth, everywhere, and defend our rights with sobriety and decency. We always want to pursue dialogue, but we do not back down from our red lines.
And to provocations, we respond.
This is what the Minister of Foreign Affairs did in Ankara. He made it clear that the basis for the normalisation of Greek-Turkish relations should be dialogue and the truth. On the matter of Greek-Turkish relations, the government does not play games of patriotic posturing for domestic consumption. This is a difficult diplomatic and political battle that the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis is waging.
Turkey needs to demonstrate in practice that it wants a sincere dialogue. Greece does not say one thing behind closed doors and something else on camera.
Our red lines are national.
And this message has reached its recipient”.
