Greece rejects Turkish demarche over islands
Greece rejects a Turkish demarche issued on Monday alleging that it was violating international law through the presence of armored military vehicles at border islands, Greek diplomatic sources have said.
The demarche was presented to Greece’s ambassador in Ankara, Christodoulos Lazaris, on Monday.
It claimed that the presence of tanks or other heavy military vehicles on the islands of Chios and Lesvos in the eastern Aegean were a violation of the islands’ demilitarized status.
The Turkish authorities also lodged a protest with the United States Embassy in Ankara as the vehicles in question are American made.
The Greek ambassador underlined that Greece’s positions have been thoroughly presented in the two letters to the UN Secretary General, the sources noted, and added that Greece fully respects its obligations arising from the Treaty of Lausanne.
Moreover, they added, Lazaris told Turkish officials that Greece is not the country threatening its neighbor with a casus belli nor has it amassed the largest landing fleet on its shores, as Turkey has done.
Lazaris pointed out that Turkey continues to violate Greece’s sovereignty with its continuous airspace violations and its flights over Greek territory.
