ATHENS – “Our country is not dismayed by challenges and threats,” Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Tuesday in an interview with “naftemporiki.gr” and added: “We reject and condemn extreme statements at every opportunity and this is what we will continue to do.”

Next year will be an election year in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, he said.

“In this light and in the climate that is beginning to take shape, maturity, prudence and composure are required, without, of course, eliminating the need to maintain the determination to defend our territorial sovereignty and sovereign rights,” he underlined.

“Greece does not desire an escalation of tension, on the contrary, it seeks to consolidate security and stability in the region,” he said and added: “Unfortunately, we observe frequent flare-ups on the other side, with a recent example being the video of the Turkish presidency on the occasion of the anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish state as a Republic.”

“In order to avoid a worsening of the situation, it would be useful to have channels of communication at all levels,” underlined the foreign minister.

He stated that “if the conditions allow it, which unfortunately is not the case at the present time, Greece would be ready for a constructive dialogue, always based on International Law.”

At the same time, he underlined that “it is our obligation and we do it on a daily basis, as for example yesterday with my Dutch counterpart, to emphasise to our allies and partners the escalation of Turkish provocation.”

“Our message to partners and allies is simple. In order to avoid the situation we are living in today in Ukraine, a barrier must be raised against any revisionism”, he pointed out and added that as the continuous statements of our traditional partners, as well as other countries, show, “this message has now been understood.”

“We positively evaluate the result of our efforts. We’re not complacent, though. We remain constantly vigilant and continue to present our positions in international fora. Positions that are always based on international law,” he concluded.