The U.S. ambassador to Athens noted that it is crucial for Greece and Türkiye to resolve their differences through diplomacy.
"The only thing that will work is to discuss and resolve the differences diplomatically and according to international law," George Tsunis said in an interview with private broadcaster ANT1 on Sunday, emphasizing that both neighboring countries are important and respected members of NATO.
"There are differences in many relationships. But peace is the primary principle in this case and can only be achieved diplomatically," Tsunis added.
Arguing that inflammatory rhetoric would not serve the interests of Athens, Ankara, or NATO, he drew attention to repeated U.S. calls on both allies to engage in dialogue to overcome differences between them.
"These differences are not unique and can be resolved," he said, expressing hope that the disputes between the two countries would be settled through diplomatic channels "in the near future."
When asked how Washington would react in the face of an attack on Greece, Tsunis was careful in his wording. "The Greek army is capable of protecting the homeland but the U.S. would tirelessly work to ensure the peace," he said.
The New York-born son of a Greek immigrant family, Tsunis has served as the U.S. ambassador to Greece since May.
On Nov. 2, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu criticized Europe and the U.S. over their approach to Türkiye-Greece relations, accusing Europe of double standards in Athens' favor.
Expressing Ankara's readiness to resolve outstanding disputes, Çavuşoğlu said this was not possible due to Greece's disregard for exploratory talks.
"Greece is blocking the pathway for international law and jurisprudence to resolve problems," he said, adding that it has sought to "impose their maximalist understanding" on Türkiye.
