The U.S. State Department has told Turkey that the sovereignty of the Greek islands is not in dispute, Greekreporter noted.
After a flurry of threatening statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a State Department official said, “The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected and protected. Greece’s sovereignty over these islands is not disputed. We call on all parties to refrain from rhetoric and actions that could further escalate tensions.”
The United States continues to urge our NATO allies to work together to maintain peace and security in the region and to resolve differences diplomatically, the statement said.