THESSALONIKI — In the face of Turkey's provocativeness, Greece juxtaposes its united and unbreakable determination not to forfeit its sovereign rights but use all its negotiating weapons, underlined President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou while addressing the Thessaloniki Οfficers' Club on Monday. She also expressed Greece's full support for French President Emmanuel Macron counter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's extreme verbal attack.

She said that Greece is fully aligned with international legality, the rules of good neighbourly relations with all countries in the region, with respect for international law and that its aim is a future of calm, security and stability. Greece's stance toward Turkey, Sakellaropoulou said, was not shaped by aggressiveness of arrogance "but faith in our national rights and our stable aim for a peaceful resolution of our differences through sincere dialogue".

The president stressed that Greece was not prepared to either forfeit its sovereign rights or to "let the strength that derives from our history and our geostrategic position unexploited".

"We are using all our negotiating weapons to address the crisis with the neighbouring country. We believe that in Europe, where the extent and size of the problem has been understood, the principle of solidarity with EU partners will prevail and that its contribution for a solution will be timely and substantial," Sakellaropoulou said.