Greece wants friendship and good neighborliness with Turkey but it should be based on Ankara’s respect for international treaties, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said on Wednesday.
Visiting the island of Nisyros on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the integration of the Dodecanese to Greece, Pavlopoulos said that “Greece wishes the friendship and good neighborly relations with Turkey and thus supports its (future) membership in the EU”.
However, he warned Ankara to respect borders and all international laws, the Lausanne Treaty, the Treaty of Paris and the Law of the Sea.
“This is the sole basis on which Greece can build its friendship with Turkey,” he underlined.
After being named an honorary citizen of Nisyros, Pavlopoulos said “any contestation of the borders, the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Greece comprises a contestation of the borders, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the European Union”.
Earlier, Ankara called on Pavlopoulos to refrain from “rhetoric” about Turkey that could cause unnecessary tension.
(Source: AMNA)
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