Public clash instead of private talks
Mitsotakis says after dinner spat with Erdogan that other leaders realized who the aggressor is
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ two-day trip to Prague, to attend the inaugural summit of the 44-member European Political Community on Thursday and the informal summit of the 27 European Union heads of government Friday, was marked by his brief confrontation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during Thursday’s dinner at the conclusion of the first summit.
“Greece never provokes but it does respond, with confidence, every time it is provoked,” Mitsotakis told reporters on arrival at Friday’s EU gathering. “I had the opportunity – in front of the 43 leaders that attended the first meeting of the European Political Community – to reiterate what I said in the United Nations [Assembly].”
“So, I believe that this was an excellent opportunity, through this dialogue, which took place in front of all the leaders… [to realize] who is the one that provokes, who is the one that raises the tone, and which is the country that defends with confidence its sovereignty and sovereign rights, without, though, ever shutting the door on dialogue,” the prime minister added. Later Friday, following the EU summit, Mitsotakis said: “I have little to add and I will not speak on behalf of the Turkish president. The Greek government, and I personally, will let no provocation slide by.”
Mitsotakis felt compelled to intervene during Thursday’s dinner after Erdogan claimed that Athens is raising tension in the region with provocative actions, according to people present there. He responded that Turkey must stop questioning the sovereignty of Greece’s Aegean islands.
He also called on Erdogan to refrain from further provocations and said that there should be communication and dialogue without extreme rhetoric, like responsible leaders should do.
Erdogan, asked by Turkish reporters in Istanbul, accused Mitsotakis of an “inappropriate tone” in his response. “Do you see such a tone in me? First of all, he’s a person that has no idea of protocol. He spoke, even though he wasn’t scheduled… I was one of the keynote speakers… I don’t know who gave him permission, and how he got it… Should I have responded? Would the president of the Turkish Republic stoop so low?.. .And no one really applauded [Mitsotakis].”
But Erdogan also added that, with time, a dialogue, which he refuses at present, could happen.
