"There is no magic solution for Greek-Turkish issues. Perseverance is necessary in our foreign policy," Alternate National Defence Minister Panos Beglitis underlined on Monday.
Speaking to an Athens private radio station, Beglitis criticised the parties of the opposition for their stance vis-à-vis national issues, stressing that "big words are intended for domestic audiences only and are obsolete, whereas, the policy we have been following is the only one that can yield results."
On the issue of illegal migration, he stressed that Turkey also has a problem due to its extensive land borders. "Turkey is trying to unload its problem onto the EU. It is the responsibility of the EU to realize that the problem is European," he underlined.
Referring to the fence to be built along a stretch of Greece's land border with Turkey in Evros prefecture, he said that it is a "fundamental national sovereign right", stressing that the fence measure will be accompanied by additional measures in other regions of the country so that the illegal migration problem will not be moved to the Greek islands.
He also stressed that former army camps in Athens will be used as First Reception Centres for Illegal Migrants as well, without creating permanent residence conditions.
