Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Monday that the Taliban (terrorist organization, banned in Russia) saw Turkey as an ally and friendly country, in a statement that appears to underscore the lack of mutual trust between Greece and Turkey still locked in longstanding maritime disputes
ATHENS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd August, 2021) Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Monday that the Taliban (terrorist organization, banned in Russia) saw Turkey as an ally and friendly country, in a statement that appears to underscore the lack of mutual trust between Greece and Turkey still locked in longstanding maritime disputes.
This statement was made after a trilateral meeting in Jerusalem with his counterparts from Israel Yair Lapid and Cyprus Nikos Christodoulidis, and published by the Greek Foreign Ministry.
"Unfortunately, we can also see a vicious circle, which is opposite to this circle of life: religious fanaticism, terrorism, an "arc of fundamentalism", stretching from North Africa to the Eastern Mediterranean and reaching Central Asia and Afghanistan," Dendias said in drawing contrast to Lapid's statement about "circle of life countries."
The Taliban consider Turkey to be their ally, the Greek foreign minister said.
"They clearly stated that Turkey was a friendly country. Sunni militant organization Hamas congratulated the Taliban. There are many countries, which, contrary to the interests of their own societies, seek to revive old empires and - which is even worse - ideas, the Greek foreign minister said.
These countries apply a variety of tools, including military invasions, interference in the internal affairs of other countries, asymmetric wars, proxy wars, and sometimes they use migration as a tool, which is "absolutely unacceptable," Dendias added.
On August 20, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a phone talk with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss recent developments in Afghanistan including possible increase in illegal border-crossing.
The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on August 15, causing the civilian government to fall. This prompted thousands of people to try to leave the country for fear of reprisals from the militants. Many countries have since begun evacuating their diplomatic missions and citizens from Afghanistan.
