BRUSSELS — The head of the European People's Party (EPP) Group in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, on Thursday expressed his concern over Turkey's attitude and the need to come to the aid of Greece and Cyprus.

Speaking in the European Parliament, he said the EPP has asked that the issue be raised because of concern over the attacks at the Greek border, illegal drilling and clashes in the Mediterranean, noting that Turkey was "moving away" from European Union values.

According to Weber, this was not a bilateral problem between Greece and Turkey or Cyprus and Turkey but a Euro-Turkish problem, noting that the EU must defend and help the two EU member-states.

He called for a "new chapter" in EU-Turkey relations, saying that accession negotiations must stop and other ways of cooperation found "once Ankara is ready."

Earlier, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell spoke of "alarming aggressiveness" on Turkey's part, with increased violations of Greek airspace and overflights above Greek islands, drilling and its memorandum with Libya that the EU does not recognise.

Borrell and other speakers also criticised Turkey's destabilising role in the region.

 (ANA/ E. Zarkadoula)