Greece says onus on Turkey to ease tensions

Greece welcomes moves by Turkey to de-escalate recent tensions in the east Mediterranean, its prime minister said on Tuesday, but Ankara needs to show a firmer commitment to improving relations.

“Our country welcomes as positive a first step made by Turkey towards de-escalating the recent tensions,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said after talks in Athens with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

“It now remains to be seen if it is a sincere move or a short-lived manoeuvre,” Mitsotakis said, adding that Greece was committed to dialogue and diplomacy to resolve any disputes.

“It is up to Turkey to close the path of crisis and open a path of resolution. We are willing to meet it on that second path and I’m optimistic that is the route we will take, to the benefit of our two peoples,” Mitsotakis said.