Erdogan asks "more cooperation" from Greece over coup plotters

Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-06 03:43:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan
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ANKARA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkey expects "more cooperation" from Greece over the extradition of suspected coup plotters, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday.

"We have once again conveyed our expectations in this regard to our Greek friends and asked that Greece should not be a safe haven" for wanted criminals, Erdogan said at a joint press conference in Ankara with visiting Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

The Turkish leader also underlined that "all issues with Greece can be resolved on an equitable basis and in a peaceful way."

For his part, Tsipras said he was most satisfied that "communication channels" were open with Erdogan.

Turkey and Greece have had fairly smooth ties since early 2000s despite a number of long-running disputes over, among others, the ethnically-divided Cyprus, exploration of natural gas around Cyprus, and conflicts in the Aegean Sea.

Eight fugitive Turkish soldiers, who fled to Greece by helicopter in the wake of a coup attempt in Turkey in 2016, remain a bone of contention between the neighboring NATO allies.

Greek courts rejected Ankara's demand for extradition, arguing that they would not get a fair trial in Turkey.

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