German Greens and Left Party dismiss Erdogan’s Greece remarks

Foreign Policy Spokesperson Jürgen Trittin and Federal Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Member Max Lucks of German coalition partner Green Party accused Turkey of escalating tensions with Greece.

On Saturday, Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan targeted Greece over disputes between the two countries on the Aegean Sea saying 

"When the time comes, we will do what is necessary. As we say, all of a sudden, we can come overnight."

In a joint statement, Trittin and Lucks said that Turkey's threats against Greece were incomprehensible since both countries were NATO members.  

"The Greek islands belong to Greece, that is beyond doubt and no one can question that," the statement said, adding that Greece had the right to self defense and could arm the islands if needed. 

The two German Green politicians said Erdogan's provocative statements and Turkey's military exercises near the Greek border were deliberately escalating tensions between Ankara and Athens, and demanded that "Turkey's exercises to seize the Greek coast and Erdogan's invasion threats" should come to an end.

On the other hand, the opposition Left Party demanded a full arms embargo on Turkey over Erdogan’s remarks. 

"The federal government should now impose an arms embargo on Erdogan, who is known for repeated violations of international law," said Sevim Dagdelen, Member of the Federal Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee.