US reacts following Turkish President Erdogan's warning to Greece

We urge Greece to stop arming islands that have non-military status and to act in accordance with international agreements. I'm not kidding, I'm serious. This country (Turkey) is located”, Erdogan said.

A State Department spokesman told the Voice of America that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected and protected.

“We continue to encourage our NATO, Greece and Turkey allies to work together to maintain peace and security in the region and to resolve disputes diplomatically”, the spokesman said.

We call on our allies to avoid rhetoric that could further increase tensions. For the United States, Greece and Turkey are both strong partners and NATO's top ally” continues the State Department's response.

Greece and Turkey have long had disagreements over issues such as maritime borders and claims on the Mediterranean Sea, as well as airspace, migrants and ethnically divided Cyprus.

Tensions have flared up again recently on Aegean islands, which Ankara says cannot be armed under international treaties.

In his speech while attending Turkish military exercises near the Aegean coastal region of Izmir, Mr. Erdogan urged Athens that “avoid dreams, actions and statements that would result in repentance” and cited the struggle for Turkey's independence in the early 1920s, when Turks defeated the occupation powers, including Greece.

“Turkey will not give up its rights in the Aegean and will not withdraw from the use of rights defined by international agreements when it comes to arming the islands,” said Erdogan.

Last week, Erdogan announced that Turkey was halting all bilateral talks with Greece over a dispute with the Greek prime minister and what Ankara calls air space violations.

Both had resumed bilateral talks in 2021 on improving ties after a five-year break, but have made little progress.

Ankara says the Aegean islands were given to Greece according to the 1923 and 1947 treaties provided it does not have weapons there.

Greece has said Turkey's comments on arming the islands are the groundless “” and has accused Ankara of questioning its sovereignty over them.

On Thursday, Greece's Foreign Ministry issued 16 maps, which said that “describes Turkey's biased actions and claims in a clear way. ”

Both countries have sent letters to the United Nations, presenting their rival positions in airspace and islands.