Foreign Ministry spokesperson Konstantinos Koutras made the following response to yesterday’s reference by the Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson to the purported existence of a dialogue on issues concerning violations in the Aegean:
“Issues of sovereignty and national sovereign rights are not up for negotiation. Immediately following any action that contravenes international law and in any way violates national sovereign rights, the Foreign Ministry proceeds directly to the appropriate diplomatic representations to the Turkish side.
This what the Foreign Ministry did in the recent (5 November) case of flyovers of the islands of Makronissi and Stroggyli by Turkish fighter aircraft. Specifically, on the instructions of the Foreign Minister, our Embassy in Ankara made a demarche to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, also delivering a relevant note verbale.
Moreover, Greece keeps its partners and allies, as well as international organizations, fully apprised of any conduct that is in violation of its sovereignty or sovereign rights.”
November 8, 2013