Paris is "concerned" by the rising tensions between Athens and Ankara

Washington: Erdogan's threats to Greece "unhelpful"

Colonna during a press conference with her Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias.

EPA

The United States said yesterday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's warnings to Greece about maritime disputes were "unhelpful", and called on the two NATO countries to settle differences through diplomatic means, while France expressed "concern" over the growing Tensions between Athens and Ankara.

Asked about Erdogan's comments, a US State Department spokesman said, "At a time when Russia is once again waging war on a sovereign European country, statements that could stir up differences between NATO allies are not helpful."

He added that "the United States continues to encourage its (NATO) allies to work together to maintain peace and security in the region and resolve differences diplomatically."

Erdogan had said during Saturday's rally that Greece would pay a "heavy price" for harassing Turkish fighter planes over the Aegean Sea, referring to Turkey's seizure in 1922 of the historic Greek city of Smyrna (currently Izmir), a bitter memory for the Greeks.

In the same context, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, during a visit to Athens, the day before yesterday, expressed France's "concern" over the increasing tensions between Greece and Turkey, historical rivals and members of NATO.

"The region does not need tensions, it needs calm," Colonna told reporters after talks with her Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias.

On Monday, Kolona said during a visit to Ankara that she had urged her Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, to avoid "any escalation, whether verbal or otherwise."

Dendias said yesterday that the statements of Turkish officials are becoming more and more "outrageous and unacceptable", warning that the Greek army is "capable of defending our homeland."

On Monday, the European Union expressed its "grave concern" over the "hostile statements" made by Erdogan against Greece.

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