Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias has said that Athens is ready for dialogue with Ankara on a range of issues, although Turkish threats are unacceptable, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini reports on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th July, 2020) Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias has said that Athens is ready for dialogue with Ankara on a range of issues, although Turkish threats are unacceptable, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini reports on Wednesday.
Dendias made the comments during an appearance on the state broadcaster ERT. As quoted by the newspaper, the foreign minister slammed what he called Turkey's "threats and deadlines" as relations between Athens and Ankara become increasingly strained.
Greece has slammed Turkey for the recent decision to convert Istanbul's Hagia Sophia into a mosque, and tensions have escalated in the eastern Mediterranean as Ankara looks to begin hydrocarbon drilling in the region.
On Monday, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said that Ankara may be willing to suspend geological surveys currently underway off the coast of Greece's Kastellorizo island pending talks with Athens. Turkey issued a Navtex advisory for the surveys, which are expected to run into August, on July 21.
The Greek Foreign Ministry has raised protests in the European Union, NATO, and the United Nations over Turkey's planned drilling activity. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday urged both sides to show restraint.
