"Turkey will continue to protect the rights of the Turkish minority living in the Western Thrace region of Greece."
This was stated by Turkish President Recep Erdogan during a meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AKP), Anadolu Agency reported.
Erdogan said Turkey was closely monitoring the steps taken by the Greek authorities towards ethnic Turks in the country and was ready to intervene in the situation if necessary.
The Turkish president stressed that Ankara strives to develop friendly relations with all countries and expand the circle of friendly countries.
"We never turn away from those who lend us a hand," Erdogan said.
He also focused on the prospects for the development of the Turkish economy. The head of state noted that the raising of Turkey's credit rating by the international rating agency Moody's after an 11-year hiatus was a "too late step" for Ankara.
"Turkey's economic potential greatly exceeds these indicators," Erdogan stressed. | BGNES