ΑΤΗΕΝS — Turkey needs to be sincere if it wants to continue to have a western orientation, Alternate Foreign Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis said in an intervew on Parapolitika radio on Friday. He emphasised that Greece will not agree to dialogue that was not genuine, while the recent of the European Council indicated that Europe will also not accept anything but a genuine retreat from Turkey's aggressive and revisionary strategy, which would need to be lasting and sincere.

"The withdrawal of the Oruc Reis from the southeastern Mediterranean is not a sufficent step in itself for proceeding with exploratory contacts," Varvitsiotis said, adding that the onus was on Turkey to convince Greece and the other Europeans that it can be trusted, by sending the right messages.