Army chief draws Aegean red line

With Ankara repeatedly disputing Greece's sovereignty in the Aegean, the chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (GEETHA), Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, warned on Wednesday that Greece will 'flatten' any Greek islet in the event that Turkish forces land there.

"If they land on an islet, we will flatten it. And this is a red line that is adopted by the government as well," he told journalists during a briefing in Athens. He added that if Greece ever had to defend itself, it would fight alone. "Our effort focuses on not having to reach that point. With the US and the European Union we want to ensure that the Turks will not go that far."

Referring to the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, whose inaugural meeting took place in Washington earlier this month, he said the US is looking for ways to ensure a balance in the region. "Greece works as a bridge and plays a...