Turkey’s most recent provocative and illegal actions will be discussed at the European Council meeting on Friday, said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in doorstep statements on Thursday, the opening day of the event.
He explained that Turkey’s activity in the Eastern Mediterranean was not originally included in the two-day meeting’s agenda, but after a consultation with the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, the issue was added onto the list of topics.
“The planned agenda was primarily about Brexit and climate change,” he explained, but current events have made imperative the addition of other issues, such as the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic Europe is facing.
The Greek Premier stressed that “unfortunately Turkey seems to remain consistent in its provocative and aggressive behavior. The same consistency must be shown by the EU as well in implementing the decisions it has already taken.”
Referring to Friday’s session of the European Council, the Greek premier said that he will “have the opportunity to brief (his) colleagues on Turkey’s new provocations against Greece and Cyprus with the recent dispatch of the Oruc Reis within the Greek continental shelf, as well as the unacceptable violation of the UN Security Council’s decisions on Varosha in Cyprus.”
Δυστυχώς, η Τουρκία φαίνεται να παραμένει συνεπής στην προκλητική και επιθετική της συμπεριφορά. Την ίδια συνέπεια επιβάλλεται να επιδείξει η EE ως προς την εφαρμογή των αποφάσεων που έχει λάβει, προκειμένου η συμπεριφορά αυτή -εφόσον συνεχιστεί- να έχει τις ανάλογες συνέπειες. pic.twitter.com/A0PZ2g1ICq
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) October 15, 2020
Earlier on Thursday, France and Germany accused Turkey of continuing to provoke the European Union with its actions in the Eastern Mediterranean, and gave it one week to clarify its positions.
“It’s clear to us that Turkey is permanently carrying out provocative acts which are unacceptable,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called Turkey’s decision to send the vessel back to the Mediterranean “inadmissible.”
Related: France and Germany Give Turkey One Week to Halt Provocations