Greek international minister visits Turkiye quake-hit area

ATHENS: Greece’s international minister arrived in Turkiye on Sunday in a present of help after the nation was hit by a devastating earthquake seven days in the past, the ministry mentioned, regardless of a longstanding rivalry between the 2 NATO nations.

International Minister Nikos Dendias was met by his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, based on footage on state-run ERT TV, earlier than they boarded helicopters to quake-hit areas.

His arrival marks the primary go to by a European minister to Turkey for the reason that earthquake.

The 2 ministers are travelling to Antakya, the place Greek rescuers are serving to with search and rescue operations.

The ministry mentioned he will even go to members of the Greek Assist Mission within the nation.

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Greece – regardless of a historical past of rivalry with Turkey that goes again centuries – was among the many first European nations to ship rescue employees and humanitarian support on Monday, just a few hours after the catastrophe.

The regional rivalry has been exacerbated by territorial and power disputes and by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s latest bombastic threats of invasion.

However the two neighbours, which lie on seismic fault strains, even have a practice of serving to one another in pure disasters.

Greater than 28,000 individuals have been killed by Monday’s 7.8-magnitude tremor, with many 1000’s injured and thousands and thousands left homeless.

Tens of 1000’s of rescue employees are scouring flattened neighbourhoods regardless of freezing climate that has deepened the distress of thousands and thousands now in determined want of support.

The Greek authorities has to date despatched 80 tonnes of medical and first support tools.

In keeping with the ministry, the international minister will even talk about methods Greece may give additional help to Turkiye.