Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias met with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio and discussed, among other things, Italy's unwillingness to support sanctions against Turkey.
Dendias made it clear that despite respecting "their decision and their position, the Greek side would like a stronger Italian support on the issue of sanctions" against Turkey.
The Greek Foreign Minister went to Twitter to say:
"We had a very interesting and honest conversation with my Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio. We covered all the issues. And our bilateral relations, ie the ratification by the Italian side of our agreement on maritime zones, but also economic issues."
"We also discussed the broader issues of the region, the Turkish provocation. I informed about the resumption of exploratory talks on 25/1, the wider Turkish behavior in the Eastern Mediterranean and issues concerning Libya and the East Mediterranean," he said.
Συζητήσαμε και για τα ευρύτερα θέματα της περιοχής, την τουρκική προκλητικότητα. Ενημέρωσα για την επανέναρξη των διερευνητικών συνομιλιών στις 25/1, την ευρύτερη τουρκική συμπεριφορά στην Ανατολική Μεσόγειο και ζητήματα που αφορούν τη Λιβύη και τον Eastmed. @ItalyMFA
— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) January 13, 2021
"Immigration was not missing from our agenda and. I think it is extremely useful to have a constant and honest exchange of views with Italy," he continued.
"I also made it clear to my Italian counterpart that, although we respect their decision and their stance, the Greek side would like stronger Italian support on the issue of sanctions," the foreign minister concluded.
Κατέστησα επίσης σαφές στον Ιταλό ομόλογό μου ότι, παρότι σεβόμαστε την απόφασή τους και τη στάση τους, η ελληνική πλευρά θα επιθυμούσε μία ισχυρότερη ιταλική στήριξη στο θέμα των κυρώσεων. @ItalyMFA
— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) January 13, 2021
Italy, along with Germany, Spain, Malta and Hungary, have been vetoing sanctions against Turkey despite their constant violation of Greek and Cypriot air and sea sovereignty, unleashing a migrant crisis last March, and continued occupation of northern Cyprus.
