Turkey’s arrest of two Greek soldiers who strayed across the border in March 2018 and have been detained ever since took place on the order of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Greek Kathimerini newspaper reported Greece’s Defense Minister Panos Kammenos as saying.
Lt. Aggelos Mitretodis and noncommissioned officer Dimitros Kouklatzis were detained on March 2 in a military zone in Edirne’s Pazarkule district, which hosts a border gate with Greece.
Turkey accused the soldiers of military espionage and entering a military zone, making them one of the ongoing points of tension between Ankara and Athens. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has called the soldiers hostages and accused Turkey of using the pair to bargain over eight Turkish servicemen who sought refuge in Greece after the controversial coup attempt on July 15, 2016.
The Greek Foreign Minister echoed Tspiras’ statements, saying the two had been arrested so that they could be eventually exchanged for the eight Turkish servicemen in Greece. “I do not think this was a random act. They found an opportunity on a night with snow to put their plan into action,” the Greek Foreign Minister told Greek Real FM.
Turkey has repeatedly demanded that the Turkish servicemen be returned by Greece; however, Greek courts ruled the men could not be sent back as they would not receive a fair trial.
Eight Turkish soldiers have been seeking asylum in Greece after commandeering a helicopter to flee Turkey as a coup against President Erdoğan crumbled in July 2016. (SCF with Ahval)
The post Greek FM Kammenos: Erdoğan ordered arrest of Greek soldiers in Turkey appeared first on Stockholm Center for Freedom.
from Stockholm Center for Freedom https://stockholmcf.org/greek-fm-kammenos-erdogan-ordered-arrest-of-greek-soldiers-in-turkey/
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