Greece has drawn a hard line following the NATO Summit: Turkey's 1995 parliamentary resolution threatening war against G...

Greece has drawn a hard line following the NATO Summit: Turkey's 1995 parliamentary resolution threatening war against Greece over territorial waters must be formally withdrawn before any discussion of Turkish participation in European defense programs can even begin. Senior Greek diplomatic sources say the casus belli is not a matter of degrees. It either exists or it doesn't, and as long as it does, it constitutes an active threat of war. The statement came partly as a response to Turkish President Erdogan, who recently claimed the casus belli "doesn't concern the Turkish people." Athens fired back with a logical counter, noting that if the issue truly carries no weight in Turkey, there is no reason Ankara can't simply revoke it. On the EU's SAFE defense program, Greece's position is unambiguous. According to senior diplomatic sources, as long as the casus belli stands, the conversation about Turkish inclusion "doesn't even start." And even if Turkey did revoke it, that alone would not be enough. Greece has also attached conditions involving respect for international law, good neighborly relations, and a resolution to the Cyprus issue. Athens is also watching closely the talk around Turkey potentially rejoining the F-35 program following comments by President Trump. Greek diplomats are careful to note that no American decision exists yet, only a stated intention to review the matter. Any reinstatement would require Congressional approval, and Turkey would need to prove it no longer operates Russia's S-400 system and has no future cooperation plans with Moscow in that area. Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis raised Greek concerns directly with a US congressional delegation that visited Athens, led by Senator Roger Wicker. The American lawmakers offered no indication of where Washington ultimately stands. Greece maintains it holds a clear qualitative military edge. More than 50 Greek F-16s have already been upgraded to the Viper standard, Greek pilots begin F-35 training next year, and the first aircraft are expected within three years. Turkey, by contrast, remains locked out of both the F-35 program and any comparable fleet upgrade path. #Greece #NAT...