Greece says Erdogan remarks on islands 'dangerous' for bilateral ties

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Friday said comments by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan questioning a treaty establishing borders between the two countries as 'dangerous' for bilateral ties.

 

Erdogan had on Thursday questioned the wisdom of the Treaty of Lausanne, a 1923 peace accord which forged modern Greece and Turkey's borders.

 

At a speech in Ankara, Erdogan said the accord 'gave away' islands to Greece.

 

"Questioning the Treaty of Lausanne, which established norms in Greco-Turkish relations (and) the status quo in the Aegean and its islands, is dangerous to relations between the two countries and to the broader region," his office quoted Tsipras as telling senior government officials.