Dendias: Turkey used migrants for political purposes

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias on Friday said Turkey had used migrants’ desperation for political purposes, while calling for a continuation of NATO’s migrant mission in the Aegean.

“Turkey was obviously exposed to international public opinion,” Dendias told state broadcaster ERT over the recent migrant standoff along the Evros border.

“There is no doubt that these migrant flows were totally orchestrated and reinforced by the Turkish side,” Dendias said.

“Human pain was exploited [for political purposes]; this is the truth and this is not acceptable in 21st century society. I hope that this will become clear to the Turkish side,” he said.

Speaking of NATO’s contribution to efforts to stem illegal trafficking and illegal migration in the Aegean Sea, the Greek foreign minister said that it was “very significant” for Greece that the alliance continued its operation, even for the purpose of “monitoring the situation.”

NATO has contributed through intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, also in cooperation with the European Union’s border management agency Frontex.