Dendias deplores Turkey’s gunboat diplomacy

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias has slammed Turkey’s activity in the Eastern Mediterranean saying that Ankara is questioning Cyprus’ sovereignty.

“We are playing on the chessboard of international law. It would be an act of absolute folly to return to time of 19th century gunboats,” Dendias told Proto Thema radio station on Wednesday.

Tensions between Cyprus and Turkey over offshore drilling for oil and gas have intensified after Ankara sent its Yavuz drillship to an area already licensed by Nicosia to Italian and French energy firms.

Asked about increased migrant flows to Greece, Dendias accused Ankara of exploiting the crisis for its own ends.

“The people who are in Turkey deserve our help, but we cannot allow Turkey use the migration crisis to blackmail the EU.”