EU refutes any questioning of Greek sovereignty over islands
The European Union has stated that there is no question of Greece’s sovereignty over its islands in the East Aegean on Sunday. Lead Spokesperson for External Affairs Peter Spano released a statement following the recent comments by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu calling for the demilitarization of the islands.
“Comments by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in a recent interview, disputing Greece’s sovereignty over some of its islands, are counterproductive and contradict de-escalation efforts in the Eastern Mediterranean called for in the Conclusions of the European Council from 23 March and 24-25 June 2021,” said Spano.
“Greece’s sovereignty over these islands is unquestionable. Turkey should respect it, refrain from provocative statements and actions in this regard, commit unequivocally to good neighborly relations and work to settle any disputes peacefully. International agreements must be respected,” he concluded.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated on Thursday Turkey’s call on Greece to demilitarize the islands, warning that if Athens does not change its stance, then the debate questioning their sovereignty will begin.
