For weeks, Greece and Turkey have been facing off in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, raising fears that a dispute between two NATO allies could turn into a full-blown regional crisis, CNN reported.
However, CNN initially had a most provocative title by stating that the Greek president "provokes Turkey."
Nic Robertson from CNN had the opportunity to interview Greece's first female president, Katerina Sakellaropoulou on Sunday at the tiny Greek island of Kastellorizo on the 77th anniversary of its independence and union with Greece.
When asked about Greece getting new Rafel fighters jets, frigates and increasing the troop size of the Greek military, Sakellaropoulou told CNN: "Not only to send a message, but if you want to have peace, you must always be better prepared for war -- some ancient Greeks has said that, we have to be prepared for everything."
The CNN interviewer then asked "coming here in the face of Turkey at a time of tension, is that not also a provocative message?"
In which Sakellaropoulou meekly replied "I don't think a peaceful visit from the president of Greece can be provocative in any way," without emphasising that a president visiting any part of Greece's sovereign territory cannot be provocative, especially since it was to celebrate an event.
However, after the interview the publication of the article with the title "Greek president provokes Turkey by visiting tiny island at center of eastern Mediterranean dispute," a slurry of complaints from Greek social media users against CNN.
Greek social media users not only highlighted that a president visiting any part of their internationally recognised sovereign territory cannot be considered provocative in any way, shape or form, but also highlighted that Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar visited on the same day the Turkish-controlled town of Antifellos (Αντίφελλος, Turkish: Kaş), only a few minutes by boat to Kastellorizo, for no reason.
Following the mass complaint, at the end of the article, CNN wrote "The headline on this story has been updated" with the new article title being "Greek president visits tiny island at center of eastern Mediterranean dispute, angering Turkey."
