Athens Claims Military Controls Turkey

Athens intensified the already strained relations between the two countries recently by claiming the existence of civilian and military elitism in Ankara. Quarrels began with a claim from Athens that Turkish war planes had disturbed a civilian Greek aircraft.

In a statement to Flash, a privately owned Greek radio station, Papandoniu said, "The real power in Turkey is not in the hands of the government and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan." In a rude manner reminiscent of Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Teodoros Pangalos, Papandoniu said, "Generals [in Turkey] have the power. This [Aegean] event proves it. This is not a good situation. I fear that we are entering a new period or tension with Turkey. I hope this tension does not climb to points of the extreme. We definitely want to refrain from this type of development, the kind that will jeopardize Turkey’s European ambitions and will create problems for both of our countries."

Papandoniu stated that it was absolutely necessary to communicate to

Turkey what the Greek perspective will be. He warned that if the "groundless demands and aggressive attitudes" were not ceased, they [Athens]would block Turkey during the discussion period with the European Union (EU).

/ / TURKEY