(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) As Türkiye is embattled with the 'disaster of the century,'
Greece's foreign Minister arrived on Sunday in a show of support
after the country was hit by devastating earthquakes seven days
ago, trend reports
citing daily
sabah .
Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias was welcomed by his Turkish
counterpart Mevlut Cavushoglu at Şakirpaşa Airport in Adana, one of
10 provinces affected by the earthquakes. His arrival marks the
first visit by a European minister to Türkiye since the quake. The
two ministers traveled to Hatay, where Greek rescuers were helping
with search and rescue operations. Dendias will also visit members
of the Greek Aid Mission in the country.
Speaking at a press conference with Cavushoglu in Hatay, Dendias
said Greece would continue its support to Türkiye to overcome the
difficult days.
Cavushoglu said it was important for the two countries to
support each other in difficult days, adding that they should not
'wait for another disaster to hit one country to restore their
relations,' a sentence echoed by Dendias.
Despite a history of rivalry with Türkiye that goes back
centuries, Greece was among the first European countries to send
rescue workers and humanitarian aid on Monday, a few hours after
the disaster.
Territorial and energy disputes have exacerbated regional
rivalry. Still, the two neighbors, which lie on seismic fault
lines, also have a tradition of helping each other in natural
disasters. More than 28,000 people have been killed by Monday's 7.7
magnitude tremor, with many thousands injured and millions left
homeless. Tens of thousands of rescue workers are scouring
flattened neighborhoods despite freezing weather, which has
deepened the misery of millions in desperate need of aid. The Greek
government has sent 80 tonnes of medical and first aid
equipment.
'The presence of Dendias here today shows the solidarity of the
Greek government and people with Türkiye. Greece was one of the
first countries to call us (for condolences) and extend
humanitarian support in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake,'
Cavushoglu said. 'They immediately sent search and rescue crews and
several planes loaded with humanitarian aid. We met the Greek
search and rescue team here, and they have worked nonstop since
they arrived here. We witnessed how they and the entire Greek
nation were overjoyed when a victim is rescued alive,' he said. The
Turkish foreign minister said harsh times prove the goodness of
neighbors, citing Greek aid after the 1999 earthquake and
subsequent Turkish aid to another earthquake that struck Greece
shortly after the 1999 disaster in Türkiye. 'I remember seeing a
feature story in Time magazine back then, and I penned a reader's
letter to them. In my letter back then, I said that we don't have
to wait for a disaster to hit one of us to improve our relations,'
he recounted. 'I hope we turn to dialogue to resolve our
differences. I am grateful to my friend Dendias, the Greek
government, and the people of Greece for their support,' the
minister said.
Dendias reiterated Greece's condolences for the victims and good
wishes for survivors and thanked Cavushoglu for his pleasant words
for Greece and its rescue crews. 'We visited crews, including those
from Austria and the Netherlands. Together with Greek crews,
European teams rescued 205 people here,' he said.
The Greek foreign minister pledged that Greek support for
Türkiye will 'not end here.' 'Our Prime Minister Kyriakos
Mitsotakis instructed us to continue it,' he said.