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Greece's 'Calm Waters' Are Over, Says PASOK-KINALAGOS Spokesperson on Turkish Maritime Claims
🇬🇷 Greece /Conflict & Security

Greece's 'Calm Waters' Are Over, Says PASOK-KINALAGOS Spokesperson on Turkish Maritime Claims

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Opinion Named sources Context piece
  • PASOK-KINALAGOS spokesperson Kostas Tsoukalas criticizes Turkey's declaration of maritime parks in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
  • He argues this policy challenges Greek sovereign rights and ignores the impact of islands like Kastellorizo.
  • Tsoukalas calls for an active foreign policy with clear red lines, rejecting the government's appeasement strategy.

Turkey's recent declaration of maritime parks in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean represents a significant escalation, moving beyond rhetoric to actively challenge Greek sovereign rights, according to Kostas Tsoukalas, spokesperson for PASOK-KINALAGOS.

The new Turkish challenge with the declaration of maritime parks in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean leaves no room for self-deception. The 'Blue Homeland' doctrine is no longer just extreme Ankara rhetoric for internal consumption. It is gradually turning into applied policy, which brazenly questions Greek sovereign rights.

— Kostas TsoukalasDescribing Turkey's actions and their implications for Greek sovereignty.

Tsoukalas stated that Turkey's 'Blue Homeland' doctrine is being implemented step-by-step, brazenly questioning Greek rights. He pointed out that the newly declared parks disregard the maritime influence of Greek islands such as Kastellorizo, Samothrace, and Lemnos. This move, he contends, attempts to incorporate areas relevant to Greek continental shelf, exclusive economic zone, and rights under international maritime law into Turkey's plans.

"This is not a communication challenge. It is an escalation that requires a response," Tsoukalas asserted, criticizing the current Mitsotakis government's foreign policy as a dead end. He argued that a one-dimensional policy of appeasement cannot serve as a national strategy, and continually turning the other cheek is not effective foreign policy.

This is not a communication challenge. It is an escalation that requires a response.

— Kostas TsoukalasCharacterizing Turkey's maritime park declarations as a serious escalation.

PASOK-KINALAGOS proposes a different national strategy focused on active diplomacy, a strong European presence, clear red lines, and zero tolerance for the creation of faits accomplis. Tsoukalas emphasized that the era of "calm waters" is over, and good neighborly relations with Turkey require mutual respect, not inaction or autopilot responses.

The one-dimensional policy of appeasement cannot be a national strategy. Turning the other cheek constantly is not foreign policy.

— Kostas TsoukalasCriticizing the Greek government's approach to Turkey.

"The country needs a foreign policy with depth that does not follow developments but shapes them, aiming for the consolidation of peaceful coexistence with Turkey and the safeguarding of our sovereign rights," he concluded.

The 'calm waters' are over. Good neighborliness with Turkey and trust are built on mutual respect, not on inaction and 'autopilot' logic.

— Kostas TsoukalasStating that the previous approach to Turkey is no longer viable.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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