Mitsotakis: Turkey to end the way of the crisis and open the way to a solution

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis after his meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Turkey must end hostilities and open a path to a solution.

When speaking today at the Maximos Palace about everything that has taken place in the Eastern Mediterranean, which, as he said, threatens NATO stability, Mitsotakis said “When a member turns against a member state, he turns against NATO itself.”

At the same time, he noted that the issue with Turkey is not a bilateral issue, it is an issue that concerns all NATO partners, while he stressed that this is a global challenge, a danger that lurks in a geostrategic zone for the US and the entire western world.

He noted that a typical example of options directed against the Alliance’s own interests is the acquisition by Turkey for the S-400 anti-aircraft systems.

Greece is seeking a peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the principles of justice and solidarity and welcomes the first move made by Turkey to defuse the situation, stressed the Prime Minister.

“It remains to be seen whether this is a good intention,” he said, adding: “We expect consistency and continuity and we expect the date for the start of the dialogue to be determined immediately.”

Regarding the decisions concerning the dialogue at the technical-military level, he stressed that it was agreed to establish a 24-hour line of communication between the military staffs of the two states.

“It is up to Turkey to close the road of the crisis and pave the way for a solution,” he said.

Finally, the Prime Minister stated that Greece is in favor of ending the hostilities in Artsakh, while he stated that he informed Stoltenberg about the strengthening of the Greek armed forces. The two men also spoke about the future of NATO and reaffirmed that the basic principle is that of solidarity.

The NATO Secretary General, in turn, expressed his great joy regarding the visit to Athens and described Greece as a “valuable ally.”

“For several years, Greece has been on the front line of the refugee and migrant crisis. Mr. Stoltenberg reassured Greece of NATO’s solidarity and thanked Athens for its efforts to cut the lines of human smuggling. The Secretary General also commended Greece for investing 2% of GDP in defence and its commitment in collective security,” NATO wrote on their website.