AHI slams Turkey’s missile threat
The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) has condemned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s threats to launch a missile attack against Greece, while urging the US State Department to call out Turkey as the aggressor.
“We need to call out Turkey for what it is at this point: a rogue state and a pariah,” AHI President Nick Larigakis said.
“It is perplexing that the State Department is calling on “all sides” to de-escalate, when there is only one party that is being provocative – Turkey,” he said.
“It is high time for the State Department to recalibrate its approach to Turkey,” he said.
On Saturday, Erdogan said Turkey has begun making its own short-range ballistic missiles called Tayfun, which, he said, was “frightening the Greeks.”
“[The Greeks] say ‘it can hit Athens,’ said Erdogan. “Of course it will. If you don’t stay calm, if you try to buy things from the United States and other places [to arm] the islands, a country like Turkey … has to do something.”
In response, State Department Spokesman Ned Price said, “We urge all of our allies to avoid threats and provocative rhetoric.” He added that an escalation of tensions is undermining NATO unity “at a time when unity and cooperation is needed most.”
