Petsas: Satisfaction with EU summit conclusions

Government spokesperson Stelios Petsas on Friday expressed satisfaction with the European support received by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during the working dinner at the EU leaders' summit on Thursday.

Speaking to Thema 104.6 radio station, he said that the prime minister raised the issue of Turkish provocations and managed to gain their support on the main issues that Greece wanted to have included in the summit conclusions, namely the condemnation of Turkey, recognition that the Turkey-Libya 'agreement' does not produce legal consequences for third states and their support for Greece and Cyprus.

Asked about the government's strategy on "the problem of Turkey," whose existence everyone acknowledged, Petsas replied: "It is clear from the statements during the dinner and in previous days that there must be a common European policy that is now being shaped, not only on the issue of Turkish provocations in the Mediterranean but also on other issues such as migration and refugees. In general, the relationship that Europe wants to have with Turkey, which is indeed an important country for the interests of all countries in the region, must be compatible with international law and the social acquis in order for these relations to become even better," Petsas said.

Finally, he stressed that this is the first time since Turkey escalated its provocative actions that there has been such an immediate and unequivocal isolation, including diplomatically, of Turkey by all European countries, and not just Europe, which showed that everyone understands that a calm and determined stance can ultimately lead to the desired improvement in relations.