Greece welcomes deescalation within the japanese Mediterranean with out immediately referring to Turkey

NICOSIA, Cyprus — Greece’s newly appointed protection minister on Thursday welcomed a deescalation of tensions within the japanese Mediterranean, expressing hope this is able to result in a “climate of trust” with out immediately referring to Turkey.

But Nikos Dendias mentioned that belief have to be constructed on the U.N. constitution and on respect for the rule of legislation on land and at sea with the “absolute condemnation for the threat of the use of force.”

Dendias, a former international minister, made the remarks after talks along with his Cypriot counterpart Michalis Georgallas throughout his first abroad go to following the reelection of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Although Dendias’ remarks have been clearly referring to Turkey, the Greek prime diplomat didn’t point out the nation by identify, ostensibly in hopes of encouraging reelected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to have interaction in dialogue with Athens and Cyprus on a number of points that proceed to be a supply of friction between the neighbors.

Dendias’ go to got here two days after a go to to Cyprus by his successor on the Greek Foreign Ministry, Giorgos Gerapetritis, who mentioned that Greece is able to begin talks with Turkey to resolve a long-standing dispute over maritime borders that has introduced the 2 international locations to the brink of armed battle.

Dendias repeated that Greece strongly opposes the view of Turkey and the breakaway Turkish Cypriots {that a} peace deal for ethnically divided Cyprus have to be primarily based on recognition of two separate states, in contravention of U.N. resolutions calling for a federation made up of Greek- and Turkish- talking sectors.

Cyprus was cut up in 1974 following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Only Turkey acknowledges Turkish Cypriot independence within the island’s northern third and maintains greater than 35,000 troops there.