The Turkish effort to challenge the sovereignty of the Greek islands is put on hold by the State Department. In response to a question from the Hellas Journal website regarding the statements made by the Turkish Foreign Minister on the Greek islands, a State Department spokesperson clarified that the sovereignty of our country over these islands is not disputed. As he noted, «the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected and protected. Greece's sovereignty over these islands is not disputed».
The spokesman reiterated the U.S. position, which encourages NATO allies Greece and Turkey to work together to maintain peace and security in the region and to resolve disputes diplomatically. However, it called for avoiding provocative rhetoric that could lead to increased tensions. Finally, the statement by the US State Department spokesman concluded by noting that «Greece and Turkey are both strong partners and key allies of the United States in NATO.».
