Greece wants speedy return of Greek soldiers who strayed into Turkey

Greece expects Turkey to swiftly return two Greek soldiers detained after they mistakenly strayed onto Turkish territory during a border patrol, its government spokesman said on Friday.

The two Greek soldiers were on patrol at the country's northeastern border with Turkey and were detained by Turkish forces after they were spotted in Turkish territory due to bad weather conditions, Greece's army command said on Friday.

"We are in consultation with Turkish authorities for a prompt resolution of the matter," Greek government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos told reporters.

"Legal processes in Turkey will be put in motion swiftly and we expect the return of the two Greeks to our country," he said.

The incident took place during a normal patrol in the thickly forested area of Kastanies at Evros. However, it is understood that previous incidents have normally been resolved on the spot.

"Yesterday's incident was the result of a mistake. The two Greek officers diverged from their route because of the bad weather in the area, and found themselves, I repeat, by mistake, in Turkish territory," Tzanakopoulos said.

Tzanakopoulos said that after the arrest of the two Greeks stipulated legal procedures followed.

"It's a formality and concerns a trial for illegal entry to the country which will be concluded and we expect their return to our country," he said.

Greece's army command said earlier that from the first moment, Greek authorities were in contact with their Turkish counterparts and that procedures for the soldiers' return to Greece were ongoing.

Turkish officials were not immediately available to comment.

The two Greeks, a second lieutenant and a soldier, were in good health, held at Andrianoupolis or Edirne as the town is called in Turkish.

The two NATO partners teetered on the brink of war in 1974, 1987 and 1996 over long-running disputes on ethnically divided Cyprus, mineral rights in the Aegean Sea and sovereignty over uninhabited islets in that sea.

In December, during Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Athens, the two countries agreed to revive a consultation process for confidence-building measures.

 

 

 

REUTERS