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Former Greek Prime Minister and the leader of SYRIZA Alexis Tsipras said Turkey’s rise worried Greece.
Tsipras criticized Greece’s foreign policy and mentioned the obstacles between Greece and Turkey in an interview with the Brussels-based Euractiv news site.
“Turkey is a power that wants to be a mediator for peace in Ukraine. The country is on the rise in the eyes of both the West and the East. This worries us,” said Tsipras.
He said that the increasing tension between the two countries recently worried him. “It worries us as Turkey’s role is on the rise internationally,” continued the Greek politician.
Describing Turkey as a “soothing power”, he said, “Greece not only abandons the dogma of unvarying foreign policy but also becomes a meek and loyal ally of the West, which at the end of the day becomes a pawn on the chessboard of the third powers.”
Recently, the US has agreed with Greece to extend its military bases across the country for five years.
Alexis Tsipras also mentioned his era as the prime minister of Greece. He pointed out that there were difficult times, adding: “(Turkish President) Erdoğan has always been Erdoğan. As the Greek side, we have worked hard to keep the communications channel open even in tougher times.”
Tsipras claimed that it is Turkey that raises the tension in the region, ignoring Athens’ opposition to Turkey’s call for direct dialogue without involving third parties.