Sit down to chat or face painful consequences: Erdogan to Greece

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Greece that it will sit down with Ankara over disputed territories in the eastern Mediterranean or it will face “painful consequences.”

Al Jazeera reports that President Erdogan made the remarks at the inauguration of a hospital in Istanbul.

“Greece must understand the language of politics and diplomacy, or it must have a painful experience,” Erdogan said. The president warned that Turkey will defend its geographical rights at any cost.

“As the Turkish people, we are prepared for all kinds of possibilities and consequences,” Erdogan said.

Turkey and Greece are members of the US-led NATO force. They have long disagreed over Mediterranean waters and mineral resources. Turkey has recently stepped up oil and gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean. Greece is protesting. France, an influential country in Europe, has sided with Greece in this incident. The tension has increased.