"Western moderation appears to encourage Turkey’s arbitrary behaviour," Mitsotakis said at a joint press conference with Acting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Athens, as quoted by Greek newspaper Kathimerini. "It’s time for European principles to translate into European practice."
Mitsotakis noted that Greece wants friendly relations with neighbouring countries on the basis of international law, but "will not tolerate challenges to its sovereign rights."
Merkel, in turn, urged both countries to resolve disagreements through dialogue.
For decades Greece has been at odds with Turkey over a range of issues, such as competing for territorial claims in the eastern Mediterranean and the Greek-Turkish divide in Cyprus. The EU, not recognising the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state, has repeatedly expressed official support for Greece, threatening Turkey with sanctions, but has never carried them out.
Under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom are the guarantors of Cypriot security and territorial integrity. The treaty also reserved guarantors the right to interfere on the island if its independence is deemed under threat.
In 1974, Turkey used the treaty to justify its invasion of Cyprus. A decade later, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus unilaterally proclaimed independence and has to date been recognised only by Turkey.
The United Nations is currently trying to broker reconciliation talks with the leaders of the Greek and Turkish sides of the island.