Differences between Greece & Turkey should be resolved through diplomatic means, says NATO’s Sec. Gen. Stoltenberg
FILE PHOTO: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gives a press conference. EPA, STEPHANIE LECOCQ
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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg commented on Greek-Turkish relations during a joint press conference he held with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Brussels on Friday, in the context of a NATO meeting on Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Asked to comment on provocative statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the NATO alliance official said that “Turkey and Greece are two valuable allies,” and he continued: “They [both] participate and contribute to NATO in many different ways. Any differences between them must be resolved through diplomatic means. In NATO, we have a de-escalation mechanism – which has already been used – through which Turkey and Greece are committed to providing information and ways to de-escalate any dangerous situation or behavior in the Aegean.”
Blinken said that he finds himself in agreement with Stoltenberg, adding that Greece and Turkey are “ two valuable and important allies – friends of the US,” and although they have their differences, as he noted, “ we want to see them resolve these in a constructive way, through dialogue – it has happened before, and we expect that it will happen again.”
Asked of whether Turkey puts the alliance’s cohesion at risk by its stance on Russia and on the NATO accession of Finland and Sweden, Blinken said that Russia’s aggression in Ukraine presents challenges for all NATO allies: “ We must ensure that we focus our attention and resources on supporting Ukraine. What I received in the room today, with all NATO allies present, was a very strong reaffirmation of that unity.”
Source: ANA – MPA
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