“We operate based on three things: composure, calm, determination,” said Greece’s Deputy Defense Minister Dimitris Vitsas on Wednesday in light of recent provocations by Turkey in Greek territorial waters in the Aegean.
The Greek official was on Ant1 television where he commented on a report regarding the confrontation between Greek and Turkish coast guard vessels near Imia islets on Tuesday. The Turkish boat stayed between the two islets for 10 minutes, with crew members taking pictures and shooting videos.
“We have no reason to go into generating artificial tension, but we can’t be indifferent either. We are ready and we have a plan for every possible scenario,” Vitsas said.
Regarding the possibility of a “heated episode” even by “accident,” Vitsas replied: “We are not worried about a heated episode, but that does not mean that we are not prepared for such an eventuality.”
And the deputy minister continued: “Our national independence and our territorial sovereignty are red lines for us, and in this context there are no gray areas,” adding that, “our armed forces are not in crisis; they are in one of their best phases.”
Finally, Vitsas assessed that the upsurge of Turkish provocations are attributed to the political upheaval in the neighboring country and the war on its eastern border.
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