The Greek press wrote: Athens watches Erdogan’s movements with concern

Greece, which has taken mutual steps to improve strained relations with Turkey, is reported to be once again concerned about the tension in relations and is closely following President Tayyip Erdoğan’s statements.

According to news from Kathimerini, one of Greece’s leading newspapers, Athens is worried that Erdogan will worsen relations again with his harsh rhetoric towards Greece.

President Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met in New York last month. At the meeting, where the roadmap for advancing relations was discussed, it was decided to hold a summit in Thessaloniki on December 7, with the participation of Erdogan.

‘OTTOMANIST STATEMENTS CREATE CONCERNS’

Kathimerini wrote that before this summit, all eyes were on Erdoğan in Athens, and that his pro-Hamas and anti-Western statements were causing concern. Stating that Erdoğan’s “Ottoman statements” were not well received in Athens, the newspaper claimed that Erdoğan said: “Tomorrow, as we live the joy of the centenary of the founding of our Republic, today we will shout to the world the fire of our hearts for Loop”. As in the past, in Thrace, the Balkans, the Caucasus, every centimeter of the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, throughout Central Asia, in South Asia and in Africa…” he recalled.

Commenting that Erdogan’s return to anti-Western rhetoric and support for Hamas would also damage Turkish-Greek relations, the newspaper stated that Athens did not want tensions to escalate, especially before December 7. The news states that Athens attaches great importance to the Thessaloniki summit and avoids events that could hinder the talks.