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Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Sunday acknowledged that a series of moves taken by Athens had disrupted nearly three years of calm in relations with Türkiye, but said he remained committed to dialogue.
Speaking to reporters at the Thessaloniki International Fair, Mitsotakis said Greece’s recent steps — including the Maritime Spatial Planning map, the declaration of marine parks, and a tender for hydrocarbon exploration south of Crete — had sparked tension with Ankara.
“These moves may have caused a reaction in Türkiye,” Mitsotakis said. “Greece’s planning does not depend on Türkiye’s approval.” He added that the measures demonstrated his country’s determination to defend its sovereign rights in the Aegean.
Asked about his expected meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the United Nations General Assembly later in September, Mitsotakis said the long-standing issue of “casus belli” must be addressed.
“In every meeting I have with Mr. Erdogan, I speak with complete sincerity,” he said. “If we truly want a substantial improvement in our relations, the withdrawal of the ‘casus belli,’ which for our country represents an unacceptable threat of war, is necessary. As long as ‘casus belli’ remains on the table, we will continue to block Türkiye’s SAFE program related to European defense.”
On June 8, 1995, the Turkish Parliament authorized the government to take military action if Greece extended its territorial waters in the Aegean beyond six nautical miles, declaring such a move a “casus belli.”
Mitsotakis also rejected the maritime boundary agreement signed between Türkiye and Libya. “This agreement is illegal, baseless, and has no legal consequences for anyone other than the signatories,” he said, adding that Greece is engaging both sides in Libya to explain that its “natural counterpart is Athens.”
Mitsotakis also commented on the war in Gaza, saying Greece would recognize the State of Palestine “at the right time” while reiterating support for a two-state solution.
“This is the government’s position and this is our public position,” he said. He added that Greece’s strategic relations with Israel had not prevented Athens from “harshly criticizing Israel about the way it is conducting its operation in Gaza, the unimaginable human pain and loss of human life that the war has caused.”
His remarks came as Israel’s assault on Gaza reached its 700th day Friday. More than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to local authorities, while famine has been declared in the enclave. Hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians have sought refuge in Gaza City after being forced from their homes in northern and eastern parts of the territory.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
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