Greece mulls request to return soldiers
ATHENS: Greece’s government vowed to respond as soon as possible to a demand from Turkey to return eight soldiers who fled their country in an army helicopter and sought asylum during an attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told Mr Erdogan in a telephone call late on Saturday that the process of examining the asylum requests of the soldiers will be “brief ”.
Mr Tsipras also told Mr Erdogan that Greece will abide by international law and respect human rights.
While their involvement in the revolt probably makes them unfit for asylum, a decision has been delayed because Greece must follow national and international laws on thoroughly examining all requests, said two people familiar with the negotiations who asked not to be named in line with policy.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu asked for the return of the escaped soldiers, according to Turkey’s NTV.
Mr Cavusoglu and Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias have been in constant communication, working in a“good atmosphere”, the Greek foreign ministry said on Saturday in an email.
Relations between the two nations have been strained in the past, although Mr Tsipras was quick to condemn the coup attempt in the early hours of Saturday, backing Mr Erdogan’s government.
Mr Erdogan thanked Mr Tsipras and his government for their stance in the call, according to the latter’s media office.
A Turkish army helicopter asked for permission to make an emergency landing in Alexandroupolis in northern Greece earlier on Saturday.
Eight men in Turkish army apparel were arrested by Greek authorities and immediately requested political asylum.
The men had removed their insignias, making it hard for Greek authorities to identify their rank, Greek state-run ERT TV reported.
Greece, while obliged to go through all procedures dictated by national and international law to examine asylum requests, is seriously taking into account that the seekers are accused of being involved in the uprising, according to an email from the foreign ministry.