Erdogan: Türkiye expects EU to call on Greece for bilateral dialogue

Ankara expects the EU to call on Greece for dialogue on a bilateral basis, instead of supporting illegal initiatives, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

"I expect the EU to call on our interlocutors for dialogue on a bilateral basis instead of supporting illegal initiatives masquer adding as unity or solidarity," Erdogan said at a news conference in the Czech Republic on Thursday.

Erdogan was in the capital Prague at the invitation of European Council President Charles Michel and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala to attend the first meeting of the European Political Community.

Many countries at the summit expected a step from Türkiye to develop ties with Greece, Erdogan said, adding that there was "nothing to talk about with Greece now."

"Not only Greece, but no matter which country is attacking us, our answer is always: 'We may come suddenly one night.' They should know that," he said.

Erdogan said he held "intensive and productive" talks at the summit, where Türkiye conveyed its views, contributions, and assessments on the challenges Europe is currently faced with in terms of peace and security, energy, climate, and economic situation.

Erdogan said he held a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sideline of the ECP summit.

Reiterating Türkiye's intention to have good neighbourly relations, he said Ankara aims to establish full normalisation with Armenia.

Erdogan also said his meeting with Syria's Bashar al Assad is out of the question at the moment but did not rule out a possible meeting in the future "at a right time."

Tensions in Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean

President Erdogan said that Ankara has no eyes on other countries' territories and their legitimate rights and does not want to see tensions with Türkiye's neighbours.

"We are just fighting to protect Türkiye's and Turkish Cypriots' rights and interests," Erdogan said. 

In recent years Türkiye and Greece have experienced an escalation in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean due to Athens' territorial claims in the region which Ankara sees unacceptable. 

"We clearly stated that we want to settle our disputes for once and for all regarding Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean seas within the framework of international law," he said.

President Erdogan also criticised the EU for supporting unjust and unlawful initiatives under "Union solidarity," calling Brussels to invite Turkish interlocutors to a bilateral dialogue foundation. 

EU membership

"Our fundamental and primary expectation is that the European Political Community will strengthen our relations with the (European) union and contribute to our membership process," Erdogan said.

"In order to overcome the challenges faced by the EU and the defining role of the union in the international arena, Türkiye has a role which cannot be replaced or substituted."

Erdogan said this reality is started to be accepted and acknowledged by our European interlocutors.

"We doubt that EU is being held hostage by certain interests and ambitions of certain countries."

He said a number of developments both recent and in the past show that Türkiye is a critical and key country for the bloc and also for the European continent. 

"The EU and Turkish relations should be improved going forward to a full membership," he stressed.

Sweden's NATO membership

Separately, for Sweden, a European Union member, Erdogan said Stockholm won't be a NATO member unless its drops contacts with terrorist organisations.

Ankara has blamed Sweden for supporting terrorist organisations and harbouring their members on its soil. 

Stockholm has provided heavy weapons to the YPG which is the Syrian branch of the PKK, an armed group that is globally recognised as a terrorist organisation, including by Sweden.

Sweden also is harbouring Fetullah Terrorist Organization members, a group that conducted July 15 coup attempt in Türkiye that killed over 250 people and wounded more than 2,200. 

READ MORE: Turkish President brings together Armenian and Azerbaijan leaders in Prague