Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his Turkish counterpart, Binali Yildirim discussed yesterday’s incident around the Imia islets and developments in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone, where Ankara is disputing the island republic’s right to hydrocarbons drilling in its Exclusive Economic Zone, in a telephone conversation today.
It was Yildirim who placed the call, according to Greek ERT state television’s evening news broadcast.
Yildirim reportedly told Tsipras that yesterday’s ramming of a Greek Coast Guard ship by a Turkish one was not the result of a “calculated action”.
According to a statement issued by the Greek PM’s office, Tsipras, “noted strictly to his Turkish counterpart that events, such as the one last night around Imia, directly undermine Greek-Turkish and EU-Turkey relations, and violate international law.
Tsipras reportedly underlined, “the need to immediately cease mounting, provocative Turkish violations in the territorial waters and airspace of Greek islands in the Aegean, and to de-escalate tensions there”.
The two sides reportedly agreed to intensify longstanding talks, dating to George Papandreou’s tenure as foreign minister, on confidence-building measures.
