Athens rejects Ankara's proposal for exchange of 8 Turkish men for 2 Greeks

Greek political leaders rejected on Sunday Ankara's proposal for an exchange of the two Greek servicemen detained in Turkey since March this year for the eight Turkish military officers who fled to Greece after the failed coup attempt in Turkey in July 2016.

"We welcome Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statements on Saturday for peaceful co-existence of our peoples, but such remarks have value when they are accompanied by actions," Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said in an e-mailed statement on Sunday.

"Friendship and good neighborship are not respected in the case of the two Greek servicemen... The suggestion of an exchange is unacceptable," the Greek leader stressed.

"It is really sad such a confusion over two servicemen that are held arbitrarily and Turkish citizens that have been granted political asylum, according to the rules of the International Law. Such confusion means ignorance of the International Law and of the international legality which is unacceptable," Pavlopoulos concluded.

A similar statement was issued by the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' office.

"We keep the positive part of the Turkish President's latest remarks, the shift to peace in the Aegean and the support to bilateral dialogue in significant sectors, including security. However we await to see actions, like a change in the provocative Turkish behavior in the Aegean," the e-mailed statement read.

"Regarding references for exchange in the case of the two Greek servicemen, we stress once again that it is unacceptable. Greece's and the entire EU's position is clear on this matter for the swift return of the two Greek servicemen without unacceptable prerequisites," the statement concluded.

The two Greek servicemen were charged with espionage in Turkey after crossing over the border in early March this year. They claim that they lost their way amid adverse weather conditions.

The eight Turkish servicemen flew to Greece on a Turkish military helicopter a day after the failed coup attempt in Turkey in 2016.

Greece's Supreme Court turned down in 2017 Ankara's request for their extradition to face trial on charges of treason as plotters. They all insist they are innocent.

The two cases have soured relations between the two neighboring countries which have unresolved territorial disputes.