The interview came after local media reported on Wednesday that Turkish coast guard vessels entered Greek territorial waters near the disputed islet of Imia in the southeast Aegean.
The breach was monitored by the Greek navy and coast guard, the Kathimerini newspaper reported.
A SG-302 Turkish patrol boat has approached Imia island. #Greece #Turkey #Aegean via @e_amyna pic.twitter.com/ScuivfC5Qk
— The Tank Blog™ (@Tank_Blog) 21 февраля 2017 г.
The newspaper quoted Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias as saying that "Turkey came very close to crossing Greece's red lines in the Aegean."
"We are not Syria, which has been destroyed, nor a disorganized Iraq… Turkey is making a mistake if it thinks that because we have an economic crisis we are weak as regards our country's security," he said.
The Aegean dispute has been a major source of tension between Greece and Turkey since the 1970s, bringing the two countries to the brink of military confrontation in 1987 and 1996.
As Greek-Turkish tensions continue over Imia/Kardak, a quick look at the map helps reveal the island's significance pic.twitter.com/i0eLZRw0Pm
— Nicholas Danforth (@NicholasDanfort) 21 февраля 2017 г.
The dispute revolves around a set of issues involving the delimitation of territorial waters, airspace, demilitarized zones and the status of several uninhabited Aegean Sea islands, known as Imia in Greece and Kardak in Turkey.
Commenting on the issue, Murat Bilhan said that now that the territorial dispute between Turkey and Greece show no sign of abating, both sides continue to take bilateral provocative steps.
"The continuing uncertainty surrounding the islands exacerbate the already difficult Turkish-Greek relations, something that can only be resolved at the negotiating table," he said.
“Imia 101: Why is the rocky #Aegean islet back in the headlines?” #Greece #Turkey #geopolitics #conflicthttps://t.co/6uyLN8SRZS pic.twitter.com/W2EbLoZvEe
— East Med Monitor (@EastMedMonitor) 16 февраля 2017 г.
Bilhan added that the two country's territorial spat "periodically" adds to the crisis in bilateral ties and that both sides "should take a mutually acceptable decision on the matter."
"Delimitation and demarcation of the maritime areas in the Aegean Sea is a tricky process. It requires a balanced approach and mutual concessions," he pointed out.
Talks to resolve the issue began after 1999, when Turkey agreed to resolve the bilateral dispute as part of its accession deal with the European Union.
Tensions were again stoked last month, when a Turkish missile boat approached the islet before being blocked by the Greek coast guard.
The incident took place after the Greek Supreme Court's ruling against the extradition of eight Turkish soldiers involved in a failed coup against the Turkish government last year.
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