The Alternate Minister of National Defence, Fotis Kouvelis, in an interview given to VRADYNI TIS KYRIAKIS newspaper stated the following:

“The whole network of relations between Greece and Turkey and the fluctuations that characterize them, is linked both to the developments in the wider area around both countries and to the internal developments in the neighbouring country. It is true that there has been an escalation of Turkey’s provocativeness for a substantial length of time in both words and actions that were in the borderline, clearly entailing a risk to exceed the “red” lines. This escalation involves the challenging on behalf of the Turkish leadership of the International Treaties and the Rules of the International Law, while it is accompanied by specific acts either regarding challenging or violating Greek sovereignty rights. In any case, we deal with the matter with composure and determination and no negotiation on the basis of Turkey’s rhetoric of claims is to be accepted.  The deterrent effect of the Greek Armed Forces and the high morale of its human resources serves as a guarantee not only for the safeguarding of our country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty rights, but also a factor of peace and stability in our wider area. The normalization of relations between Greece and Turkey is in the interest of both countries. It represents a constant purpose on the part of the Greek side and it should also be understood by the Turkish side”.