Athens on Thursday dismissed the latest statements by Turkey’s defense ministry regarding the deployment of a Patriot anit-missile battery on the southeast Aegean island of Karpathos, as well as reports on the possible deployment of Turkish F-16 fighter jets to occupied Cyprus.

Regarding the Patriot battery, a foreign ministry spokeswoman emphasized that Greece’s position has been clearly stated and remains unchanged.

Spokeswoman Lana Zochiou referred to a previous ministry statement, noting that “unilateral claims concerning the demilitarization of the Aegean islands are unfounded and have been repeatedly rejected. The status of the Greek islands in the eastern Aegean is governed by the Treaty of Lausanne (1923), the Montreux Convention (1936), and the Paris Peace Treaties (1947), to which Turkey is not even a party.”

She also stressed that these international agreements clearly define the legal status of the islands, while Greece’s defensive arrangements are considered non-negotiable, especially amid heightened geopolitical instability in the region. Zochiou added that “Cyprus, at the southeastern edge of the EU in the eastern Mediterranean, remains an island of stability and security despite the ongoing 52-year illegal Turkish occupation of 37% of its territory. The illegal invasion and occupation do not legitimize any presence of Turkish military forces.”

Zochiou reaffirmed that Greece’s support for the Republic of Cyprus is a historic obligation and a natural duty when Cyprus’ security is threatened, emphasizing that Athens’ support is purely defensive in nature.

According to reports, during a recent call between Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, neither the deployment of AA system on Karpathos nor possible defense assistance to Cyprus were discussed.