Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Alexandros Papaioannou’s response to a journalist’s question regarding the recent letter sent by the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the UN

Responding to a journalist’s question regarding a letter sent recently by the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the UN, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the following:

“Turkey is trying to distort reality and create a smokescreen in order to hide its own constant violations of International Law.

As is well known, Turkey has issued a threat of war against Greece if Greece exercises its lawful rights (casus belli); it violates national sovereignty and contests Greece’s sovereign rights; it illegally occupies territories of other states and destabilizes other countries by maintaining troops and mercenaries in their territory.

At a time when it has one of the largest landing forces facing the Greek islands, Turkey is shamelessly asking Greece, a country which is fully committed to the observance of international legality, to renounce its fundamental right of self-defence.

Turkey’s provocative as well as unfounded unilateral accusations are another attempt to conceal its constant infringing conduct, as well as its planned unlawful actions.

Greece will respond to what is stated in the letter, on the basis of the protection of its inalienable rights and always on the basis of the respect for international law.”