Athens rejects Turkish threats of war as 'megalomania'
(dpa)
Athens (dpa) - In the dispute over natural gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, NATO partners Greece and Turkey continued to trade accusations on Sunday.
Greek Energy Minister Kostis Hatzidakis told the Skai news channel that Turkey was using threats of war to pursue 19th-century politics.
"The megalomania and self-importance on the other side of the Aegean are a poor basis for decision-making," Hatzidakis said.
Turkey had previously openly threatened Greece with a military response in the event of an expansion of Greek territorial waters in the Aegean Sea.
"If this isn't a cause of war, then what is?" Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay told state news agency Anadolu on Saturday.
Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had announced that the Greek sovereign zone in the Ionian Sea - facing Italy - would be extended from 6 to 12 nautical miles (11 to 22 kilometres).
Large reserves of natural gas are believed to be located in the eastern Mediterranean, which Turkey is exploring in sea areas claimed by Cyprus or Greece.
Greek and Turkish armed forces have been holding military manoeuvres in the region.
The conflict has a long history. As early as 1995, the Turkish parliament declared the expansion of Greek territorial waters in the Aegean Sea to be a casus belli, or reason for war.
Turkey had previously openly threatened Greece with a military response in the event of an expansion of Greek territorial waters in the Aegean Sea.
"If this isn't a cause of war, then what is?" Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay told state news agency Anadolu on Saturday.
Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had announced that the Greek sovereign zone in the Ionian Sea - facing Italy - would be extended from 6 to 12 nautical miles (11 to 22 kilometres).
Large reserves of natural gas are believed to be located in the eastern Mediterranean, which Turkey is exploring in sea areas claimed by Cyprus or Greece.
Greek and Turkish armed forces have been holding military manoeuvres in the region.
The conflict has a long history. As early as 1995, the Turkish parliament declared the expansion of Greek territorial waters in the Aegean Sea to be a casus belli, or reason for war.
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