EU must take ‘specific measures’ against Turkey’s ‘illegal behavior,’ says PM
The European Union should take “specific measures” against Turkey if Ankara persists with its “illegal behavior” in the eastern Mediterranean, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told the South EU Summit in Malta on Friday.
“The key pillar of our position is respect for international law and that anyone who doesn't respect it should face the consequences,” Tsipras told the summit.
Addressing the government leaders of Cyprus, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain, Tsipras said that Turkey's insistence to explore for natural gas off Cyprus' coast is “not a bilateral issue between Cyprus and Turkey, nor are those between Greece and Turkey.”
“We have expressed our complete support to [Cyprus President] Nicos Anastasiades,” Tsipras said.
French President Emmanuel Macron also warned that Turkey needs to “stop its illegal activities inside Cyprus' exclusive economic zone,” according to comments translated into Greek.
