Provocative statements against Cyprus that undermine the positive climate in Greek-Turkish relations are discussed in a statement by SYRIZA, on the occasion of yesterday’s new statements by Tayyip Erdogan.

“Just three months after the signing of the Declaration of Athens, Turkey once again violates its spirit and letter. Of course, at the altar of the opaque, I.X foreign policy followed by Mr. Mitsotakis, the government maintains a firm stance degradation of the Cypriot but also silence on the Turkish provocations”, the announcement states, among other things.

Referring to the Cyprus problem, the Turkish President, addressing Turkish officers, said that “if we had pushed a little more in 1974 towards the south, there would no longer be south and north and Cyprus would be completely ours”. At the same time, he characterized “Attila” as a peace operation, arguing that the Turkish Cypriots escaped genocide.

The announcement of the Press Office of SYRIZA Progressive Alliance

The provocative statements of the President of Turkey against Cyprus also undermine Greek-Turkish relations

SYRIZA – PS unequivocally condemns the new provocative statements of the Turkish President on the Cyprus issue, in which, among other things, he mentioned about the Turkish invasion that “perhaps if we had pushed to the south, there would no longer be a south and a north and Cyprus would be completely ours”.

The unacceptable statements of President Erdoğan clearly undermine the “positive climate” in Greek-Turkish relations in which the Mitsotakis government insists on resting. Just three months after the signing of the Declaration of Athens, Turkey once again violates its spirit and letter.

Of course, at the altar of the opaque, IX foreign policy followed by Mr. Mitsotakis, the government maintains a constant attitude of downgrading the Cypriot and remaining silent on the Turkish provocations.

Unfortunately, the removal of the government from the active and multidimensional foreign policy of Greece and the communicative, micropolitical management of the Greek-Turkish people not only does not benefit the country, but causes serious effects on our national interests. A recent result, after all, of this nationally damaging policy, is the US-Turkey agreement for the purchase and modernization of F-16 aircraft without conditions regarding their use for illegal actions against Greece and the Republic of Cyprus.

We call on the government to immediately take the necessary diplomatic actions in the face of this new Turkish challenge and to make it clear to the neighbor that such unacceptable and inflammatory statements burden Greek-Turkish and Euro-Turkish relations. At the same time, to emphasize the importance for these relations of restarting the talks for a fair and sustainable solution, from where they were interrupted in Crans-Montana, on the basis of the UN Decisions, for the benefit of the entire Cypriot people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.