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Greece’s foreign ministry on Wednesday evening dismissed the latest barrage of Turkish claims concerning the defense of the country’s Aegean islands, rejecting allegations that Greece is being “exploited” to destabilize the region and pointing to Ankara’s continuing threat of war (casus belli) should Athens exercise its lawful sovereign rights.

Responding to a press question citing statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesman Panagiotis Giannakoulias stressed that Greece exercises its foreign policy “sovereignly and independently” and is not influenced by others. He firmly rejected allegations that Greece was being used to destabilize the region, saying they had “no basis in reality.”

Greece, he stressed, had demonstrated through its actions that it consistently works for regional and international peace and stability and poses no threat to anyone.

He also addressed the defense of the islands, making clear that Greece, like any other country, safeguards the defense and security of its entire territory.

In this context, he again rejected the Turkish demands for demilitarization, saying Ankara’s “repeated unilateral claims” concerning the Greek islands of the Aegean had no basis in international law and had repeatedly been rejected in their entirety by Greece.

According to a dispatch by the state-run AMNA news agency, the spokesperson added that the status of the Greek islands in the eastern Aegean was clearly established by standing international treaties. He stressed that Greece, as a sovereign state, was fully entitled to take all necessary measures to ensure that it can exercise its inalienable right to lawful self-defense.

Athens also countered Ankara’s description of Greece’s defensive measures as a “threat” by bringing up the casus belli.

“Describing the strengthening of the defenses of Greek territory as a ‘threat’ is not only unfounded but also paradoxical, when Turkey continues, in violation of international law, to maintain a threat of war (casus belli) against Greece should it exercise a lawful sovereign right,” he said.

“Greece remains committed to good-neighborly relations and dialogue, which, however, require full respect for international law and refraining from threats and unfounded claims,” the spokesperson concluded.