The Greek Foreign Ministry replied in a harsh tone to a provocative statement issued by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs which disputed Greek ownership of the islands of Imia. The statement of the Greek Ministry criticised Turkey for failing to respect the rule of law in a provocative manner, despite the EU calling on it to adhere to international law.
“It repeats a flagrantly illegal position, ignoring the fact that the legal status of the Aegean is fully guaranteed by international law. The Greek sovereignty over Imia is clear and indisputable in accordance with the 1923 Lausanne Treaty, the 1932 Italian-Turkish Agreements and the 1947 Treaty of Paris”, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“Once again the criticism of the European Commission towards Turkey has caused her delusions. We urge her to get hold of herself and take advantage of the findings of the Commission’s report as a tool for useful self-criticism to improve her image, both towards her domestic public opinion and the international community”, the Foreign Ministry statement said.