The European Union expressed “serious concern” on Monday about the “hostile statements” of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding Greece, writes AFP. It will be recalled that Erdogan warned Greece that it will pay a “big price” if it continues to violate Turkish airspace and “harass” Turkish planes in the Aegean Sea.

• “These hostile remarks by the Turkish political leadership against Greece and the Greek people (…) cause serious concern.
• We expect Turkey to refrain from any verbal escalation and undertake to promote good-neighborly relations,” said Peter Stano, spokesman for the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, answering questions from journalists during a press conference.

The European official also noted that “in relations with Greece, any unresolved issue must be resolved peacefully, through good faith dialogue, in accordance with international law and the principle of good neighborly relations.”

• “Greece is a member state of the European Union, and the sovereignty and integrity of the member states of the European Union must be respected,” added Peter Stano.

Athens accuses Turkish planes of flying over Greek islands near the border with Turkey, and the dispute between the two neighboring states has led to numerous patrol actions.

Turkey, for its part, condemns the presence of troops on these islands contrary, in its opinion, to the peace treaties signed after the First and Second World Wars.

In June, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that if Athens continued to send troops to the islands, Ankara would challenge Greece’s sovereignty.

Erdogan warned Greece: it will pay a “high price”

Greece will pay a “big price” if it continues to violate Turkish airspace and “harass” Turkish aircraft in the Aegean Sea, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Saturday, quoted by AFP.

• “Greece, look at history. If you continue like this, you will pay a high price,” the Turkish president said at a rally in the Black Sea region.
• “We have something to convey to Greece: don’t forget Izmir,” he added, referring to the Aegean city the Greeks call Smyrna.
• “The occupation of some islands (in the Aegean Sea, near Turkey – no) does not bind us in any way. We will do what is necessary at the right time. We can come suddenly at night,” he also said, repeating the often used formula, when he spoke about the start of the operation in Syria.