With Greece, we had set up a mechanism to relax relations between us before the earthquake, said the representative of the Turkish presidency, Ibrahim Kalin.

As the SKAI correspondent broadcasts from Istanbul, Manolis Kostidis, Kalin stated: “We have many issues with Greece, such as airspace and the continental shelf. We must not solve our problems through Paris and Washington. We do not see Greece as a threat, but when there is a threat to our sovereignty, it is our right to respond.”

Kalin stated: “We consider the momentum we have achieved in recent months (in relations with Greece) to be satisfactory and beneficial. There was a partial relaxation even before the earthquake. We had set up a mechanism. There are already procedures in place, with which competent services and our ministries are dealing with and directly implementing. There are issues. There is border security. There are airspace. There are maritime continental shelf issues. There is the Coast Guard. There are diplomatic relations. We have many issues with Greece, of course.”

And he continued: “Turkey and Greece should solve their problems by talking directly to each other. Let me say this very clearly: If we try to solve them through Paris, Brussels, Washington, this will lead us to an impasse. Nor do we see Greece as a threat. But when there is a threat to our sovereignty, our life, our political unity, of course, our most natural right is to respond to it. It is our duty to take the necessary precautions.”

And a friendly attack by Erdogan

It had preceded, yesterday, the attack… of friendship by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who speaking yesterday at an Iftar dinner in the framework of Ramadan, held at the headquarters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), said: “I hope with Greece that the opportunity to solve the problems will be seized. Our accession to the EU is a strategic goal.”

As SKAI correspondent Manolis Kostidis reports from Istanbul, Erdogan said: “The climate that has been created lately with Greece, in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean, I hope will be used as an opportunity to solve the problems. We support the steps that contribute to the stability and peace of the Balkans, as always. Despite all the injustices we have suffered, joining the European Union remains a strategic goal for Turkey.”

In the meantime, on Saturday Erdogan will hand over the Turkish aircraft carrier in the Turkish Navy.

Don’t think that we really need the F-16s, we have other alternatives, said Ibrahim Kalin.