Greek–Turkish relations

New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his unswerving support for Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades's efforts in his quest for "a just and viable solution to the Cyprus problem" at a meeting Monday with visiting German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, but he also voiced concern at the incendiary rhetoric coming out of Turkey.

When it comes to dealing with major national issues, Greece should follow the example of Cyprus.

As Turkey continues to fuel tensions with Greece over matters of territorial integrity, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has told Kathimerini that the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne, which set out the modern borders between Greece and Turkey, are indisputable, adding that Ankara stands to benefit from its agreement with the European Union to tackle the refugee crisis.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry doubled down on its position that the Aegean islands of Imia were Turkish territory, responding to the reaction by the Greek Foreign Ministry that the isles were Greek soil, by stressing that Turkey’s stance had been known to the international community since 1996.

Brussels and Athens are trying to decipher the reasons behind Turkey’s intensification of polemic rhetoric against, following a string of statements by the Turkish political establishment led by President Recep Erdogan.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday referred to the eastern Aegean Imia islets as "Turkish soil."

Cavusoglu was responding in writing to a question tabled by a Turkish MP regarding the status of islands and islets in the Aegean.

In the latest series of provocations against Greece, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu claimed the island of Imia in the Aegean Sea belonged to Turkey, in a written response to a Turkish MP’s question in the country’s national assembly, Wednesday. “There is no change in our policy regarding Imia. Imia is Turkish land”, the Turkish Foreign Minister said.

“Greek-Turkish relations are a European issue,” declared the President of the Greek Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, today. “Those who think that international law is the law of the mighty are wrong.

According to intelligence reports, the Turkish government is secretly planning to send 3,000 refugees to Greece every day.
Greek officials have reported an unusual concentration of dinghies and motorboats along the Turkish coast as the refugee deal that was agreed between Turkey and the European Union begins to sour.

Turkish President Recep Erdogan threatened to open the borders of the country to illegal migrants after the European Parliament decided to support the resolution freezing accession negotiations with Turkey.

"Listen to me. If you go further, the borders will be opened. Have this in mind," said Erdogan during a speech in Istanbul addressing the EU.