A strategic partnership to confront Turkey ... France sends warships to support Greece

Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, according to a report by the British Guardian newspaper, welcomed France's decision to send war frigates to the eastern Mediterranean as the confrontation with Turkey over regional energy reserves intensified.

Mitsotakis described the ships as "a guarantor of peace", as tensions with Ankara increased.

"The only way to end disputes in the eastern Mediterranean is through international justice, Greece and France will adopt a new framework for strategic defense," Mitsotakis told reporters after holding talks in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Mitsotakis was in the French capital on a visit aimed at mobilizing support from the European Union, while hostile relations with Turkey overcame all other issues on his government's nearly seven-month agenda.

The Guardian newspaper reported that French President Emmanuel Macron had pledged to send warships to support Greece in the eastern Mediterranean.

The French President accused Turkey of violating the pledges it had made during the Berlin conference held on January 19 to settle the Libyan crisis, noting that France had monitored during the past days' ships transporting Syrian mercenaries to Libya.

"France supports Greece and Cyprus in their sovereignty over their maritime borders, and we condemn again the agreement between Turkey and the Libyan accord government," Macron added.

In a related context, Macron announced a strategic security partnership between his country and Greece, with an increased presence of the French navy in Greece.

Macron said, after talks with the Greek Prime Minister in Paris, that details will be clarified in the coming weeks, and regular consultations will take place between the two countries' foreign and defense ministers.

Macron stressed that with his European partners, he supports Greece and Cyprus, which are members with his country in the European Union, and condemned Turkish interference and provocation.

(T/S)

ANHA