A government spokesman in Athens on Monday evening dismissed the latest, but even more egregious statements by Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan against Greek leadership, as the latter apparently took umbrage with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ recent visit and statements in Washington D.C.
Spokesman Yannis Economou said Mitsotakis is “strongly and effectively defending both our national rights and international legitimacy.”
Earlier on Monday, the now unabashedly Islamist and authoritarian Erdogan told reporters, after a cabinet meeting, that he would stop talking to Mitsotakis and cancel a high-ranking meeting between ministers of either country.
Erdogan, according to the international press reports, said Mitsotakis engaged in hostile behavior against Turkey, among others, of trying to dissuade the United States from selling Turkey more F-16s and modernizing the aging fleet Ankara now fields.
Erdogan also accused Athens of harboring and not extraditing followers of US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, which the Turkish president and his administration claim was behind a botched 2016 coup. Another gripe was touched on the establishment of new military bases, as he claimed, ones aimed at Turkey – a swipe against the US, as well, as he was referring to facilities hosting American assets.
Erdogan’s government and much of the pro-AKP media in Turkey, which now dominate the press, were incensed over Mitsotakis’ historic visit to the US capital last week, which included an address before a joint session of Congress.
Back in Athens, the government spokesman merely added that Greece’s policy “heavily based on history, international law and our alliances, no matter how much this bothers some … We will not engage in confrontational statements with Turkish leadership, our policy is one of principles.”
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