More than 5000 dead are mourned by Turkey from the strong 7.8 Richter earthquake that hit the country, which also shook other countries, such as Syria, while it was felt as far as Egypt and even Georgia.
The 7.8 magnitude and the strong aftershocks that followed with thousands of victims in Turkey, awakened memories. Memories from the deadly earthquake of 1999, but also memories from the "earthquake diplomacy", which was dormant for 24 whole years. The President of the Republic, the Prime Minister spoke by phone with Tayyip Erdoğan, as did the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs with their counterparts.
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Σεισμός-Τουρκία: Φωτογραφίες από τις αποστολές από όλο τον κόσμο
The defense ministers of the two countries have even made an appointment to talk in Brussels on February 14. In addition, the fact that the storm drove the Turkish planes out of the Aegean should not go unnoticed. Not a single flight activity yesterday. But let's wait to see how the situation will develop in the Athens FIR. Because in the past (in 1999) something like this happened, as you remember, but it didn't last long.
But how did the Richter earthquakes activate a channel of communication between the two countries (with the hope that this channel will continue) and how Greece, when it comes to helping with humanitarian aid, rushes from the first? Greek aid was the first to arrive in the early afternoon at Incirlik airport and our rescuers immediately ran to free people from the collapsed buildings. What they saw was shocking.. Images of complete devastation, buildings collapsed like paper towers, with the number of victims constantly increasing. No one was left unmoved...
However, this image on the runway of the Elefsina military airport showing the 21 firefighters from the 1st EMAK, in their distinctive blue uniforms and red hats, in front of a C-130 transporter, ready to depart for earthquake-stricken Turkey, proves the practical support of our country to the earthquake victims after the deadly strike of Enceladus. An image full of humanity that with the firefighters, there were also two rescue dogs, a special rescue vehicle, a Fire Department officer with experience in underpinning buildings and five doctors from EKAV. At the time when the C-130 of the Air Force was leaving for Turkey, the following was happening in Athens, according to the "Pacemaker" column of the well-known newspaper "to Vima".
* The President of the Republic had a telephone conversation with the Turkish President. He expressed to him the support of the Greek people. Mrs. Sakellaropoulou wished that the injured would recover quickly and that as many lives as possible would be saved. He also pointed out that Greece stands in solidarity with the trying Turkish people and practically supports the rescue operations.
* Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had a telephone conversation with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in which he expressed his sorrow for the devastating earthquake in Turkey and conveyed to Mr. Erdoğan the support and condolences of the government and the Greek people for the loss of lives lives.
He reiterated Greece's readiness to immediately assist Turkey in every way - and beyond the team that has already left for the region - in dealing with the consequences of the devastating earthquake. Mr. Erdoğan thanked the Prime Minister for the support and immediate assistance. Thus another line of communication was restored due to the tragedy. The "Mitsotakis yoke", the... was swallowed by the egelados
* At the same time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias was communicating with Melvout Cavusoglu to express to him the support of our country (and the Greek people) to the Turkish people who are being tested
* Also the Minister of National Defense Nikos Panagiotopoulos called his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar expressing his support. She made an appointment with him to meet at the NATO summit: "I'll see you in Brussels", she texted him.
* In Brussels, Deputy Foreign Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis informed his counterparts about Greece's practical support to Turkey, as expressed by the Prime Minister early in the morning and later to President Erdogan: "The neighbors are here to lend a hand help each other," he said.
* The Metropolitans of Thrace gather aid for the earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria
* This immediate response of Greece and the messages of solidarity to Turkey was expressed in Greek by the Turkish embassy in our country: "Thank you for your immediate response and messages of solidarity to Turkey after the devastating earthquake that hit our country" it says typically the Turkish embassy in Greece in a message via Twitter.
