Turkey must respect the sovereignty of all EU member states "in their territorial waters and airspace," said European Commission spokesman for external affairs Peter Stano on Friday.
Asked by AMNA about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent provocative statements, Stano noted that "the EU has always been clear that we expect Turkey to behave constructively, to refrain from steps that escalate tension - from rhetoric or actions - and to commit to building good neighborly relations, not the reverse. "
"We have repeatedly stated that any open issue must be dealt with peacefully, through dialogue, in good faith, and in full respect of International Law," he stressed.
For their part, the US State Department said in a strong message to Turkey on Friday that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected and protected.
Specifically, the Department of State spokesperson noted that "the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected and protected.
"We continue to encourage our allies in NATO, Greece and Turkey, to work together to maintain peace and security in the region and to resolve disputes through diplomacy.
"We urge our allies to refrain from rhetoric that could further escalate tension.
"Greece and Turkey are both strong partners and key NATO allies of the United States."
It should be noted that the US State Department has responded quickly on any doubts cast on the sovereignty of Greek islands, as every time the Turkish foreign minister has attempted to raise such an issue with his statements, the US State Department has taken an immediate stance in the matter.
A State Department spokesman has clarified in two statements, on February 11 and June 2, that Greece's sovereignty of these islands is beyond questioning.
"The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected and protected. Greece's sovereignty on these island is not in doubt," the US State Department said.
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