US presidential candidate Joe Biden urges Turkey to reverse decision on Hagia Sophia

Democratic Presidential Candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden, stated that the US (more specifically the Trump administration) must press Turkey to refrain from any further provocative actions in the region against Greece.

He also called on Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan to reverse his recent decision to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

His statement reads as follows:

I support the efforts of NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoldenberg and our European allies, as well as the United States, to eliminate tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and to avoid conflicts in NATO. Disputes in the region must be resolved peacefully and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected and protected.

The agreement on the establishment of a military decompression mechanism and the resumption of diplomatic talks between Greece and Turkey are welcome steps in the right direction. I also applaud the action of the Congress to end the counterproductive embargo on non-lethal aid to Cyprus, which is a strategic partner for the United States.

The Trump administration must pressure Turkey to refrain from further provocative actions in the region against Greece, including threats of violence, to pave the way for the success of diplomacy.

I also call on Turkish President Erdoğan to reverse his recent decision to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque and return this treasure to its former location as a museum, ensuring equal access for all, including Orthodox believers.