Women from Turkey, Greece, Cyprus call for peaceful solution of Eastern Mediterranean crisis

Cyprus island (Photo: Needpix)

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The Women's Initiative for Peace (WINPEACE), an organization jointly founded by women from Turkey and Greece, has called for a non-violent solution of the Eastern Mediterranean crisis between the two countries, as well as northern and southern Cyprus. 

"We, as women from Turkey, Greece, Cyprus Greek part and Cyprus Turkish part, are deeply concerned about the recent developments in the Eastern Mediterranean," it said in a statement. "Reckless statements by all relevant governments have brought our countries on the brink of war."

"For this reason, we call on our countries' governments to end their daily hostile statements and immediately start a dialogue for the purpose of sharing all the wealth hidden under the Mediterranean Sea.

"Only in this way can we avoid painting the blue waters of the Mediterranean to blood-red. Our countries should cooperate in solidarity and trust. Only then can we reach a creative solution, a 'win-win' situation that will benefit our societies as well.

"We would also like to emphasize that in the period of a global economic crisis, there is a great need for the resources to be used in war attempts to meet the basic needs of our peoples.

"The Covid-19 outbreak has deepened both the existing inequality between women and men and social inequality. We believe that governments should focus all their efforts on the fight against the pandemic and gender inequality.

"We should also state that we find ironic the fight over fossil fuels, which are proved to be the main reason for climate change, which threatens the entire planet. We call on our governments to increase renewable energy sources and reduce the consumption of such fuel."

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WINPEACE was founded by Margarita Papandreou and Zeynep following the 1996 crisis between Greece and Turkey over the Imia/Kardak, which nearly caused a war between the two countries.

Tensions between Ankara and Athens have increased in the Eastern Mediterranean in the past month over Turkey's hydrocarbon exploration activities as both countries' claimed maritime borders overlap each other. (EMK/VK)