Greece recalls envoy from Russia in worsening spat
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| Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at a cabinet meeting in April 2018.- ANSA |
Greece recalled its Ambassador to Russia on Friday as part
of an escalating row, following a similar move by Moscow earlier this month.
By John Carr
Greece has recalled its ambassador from Moscow in a
worsening diplomatic dispute over alleged Russian interference in Greek foreign
policy.
Exactly a month ago, Greece made the surprise move of
expelling two Russian diplomats on the grounds that they tried to scuttle a
recent cooperation deal between Greece and neighbouring Macedonia.
Since then the war of words between Athens and Moscow has
been escalating, with tit-for-tax expulsions of Greek embassy staff from
Moscow.
Media reports in Athens say Greece refused visas to a group
of Russian Orthodox clergy who wanted to visit Mount Athos. The suspicion was
that the priests might use their stay in northern Greece to stir up opposition
to the Macedonia deal.
Until recently Greece was the EU member most accommodating
with Russia thanks to the Orthodox link. The reasons for the sudden switch are
still a matter of debate here in Athens.
But according to a source in the ruling left-wing Syriza
party, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has made a conscious decision to go along
fully with American policy to stay on the right side of the United States and
the European Union.
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