Ankara digs in its heels over Imia, denies Greek demarche

A Turkish foreign ministry statement today blamed yesterday’s near deadly incident surrounding the Imia islets on the Hellenic Coast Guard, claimed sovereignty over the Greek Imia islets, and denied that the Greek foreign ministry’s statement that Athens filed a strongly-worded demarche on the Imia incident.

“In the statement made today (13 February) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, it is claimed that the Secretary General of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made “a strong demarche protesting” a dangerous incident, which took place within the Kardak region. Unfortunately, the Greek side has both misled its public opinion as we are accustomed to, and has distorted the facts, as is always the case,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry statement read.

“In fact, the Undersecretary of our Ministry has called the Secretary General of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the incidents caused last night by the Greek Coast Guard boats through their dangerous maneuvers in the vicinity of the Kardak rocks, which are under Turkish sovereignty,” it continued.

“The Undersecretary has clearly stated that the hostile actions of the Greek military forces are continuing in air and at sea, of which we will not tolerate[sic], and that increasing tension in the Aegean Sea does not serve to the interests of the two countries. He further stated that the Greek side should end these dangerous actions.”

in.gr