Athens will not budge on Aegean
President Costis Stephanopoulos on Wednesday urged Turkey to show it is willing to shift its stance on foreign policy issues affecting Greece, following another spate of violations of national air space by Turkish jets. «We do not have negative thoughts about Turkey, but Turkey must show that its course toward Europe is accompanied by an honest willingness for change – both on the domestic level but also in its approach to foreign policy matters affecting our country and Cyprus,» Stephanopoulos said. Earlier on Wednesday, six formations of Turkish fighter jets had violated Greek air space five times in the areas between Chios and Lesvos and between Psara and Antipsara. The jets were chased off by Greek aircraft and there were four simulated dogfights. This followed a spate of similar incidents over the past few days. Acting government spokesman Evangelos Antonaros insisted that Greece would not be cowed. «Turkey has its own positions and we stand by our own own,» he said. «We are not going to give up an inch of our sovereign rights.»
