Turkish President Erdogan warns Greece to demilitarize the Agean Islands

Europe, Middle East, News June 10, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Greece to immediately demilitarize the islands in the Aegean Sea.

Erdogan called for Greek authorities to take his statement seriously as he stated that he was ‘not joking’ with the admonition.

Greece has been building a military presence on islands of the Aegean Sea that goes against the treaty that guarantees a demilitarized status of the Aegean Sea. The treaty between Turkey and Greece argues that Greece can have control of the islands on the condition that the region remains demilitarized.

While speaking at an ending ceremony of a military exercise in Izmir, Turkey, President Erdogan said on June 9, “We invite Greece to stop arming the islands that have non-military status and to act in accordance with international agreements.”

Erdogan further stressed on his point by stating, “I’m not joking, I’m speaking seriously. This nation is determined.”

“We warn Greece to stay away from dreams and actions that it will regret, and to come to its senses.” the Turkish leader stressed. “Turkey won’t give up on its rights in the Aegean, in the same way, that it will not stand back from using its rights stemming from international agreement,” Erdogan said.

Turkey and Greece share a 200 kilometers long land border and a massive maritime border that consists of several disputed islands in the Aegean Sea. Although both countries are NATO allies, they have a historic dispute on several issues ranging from mineral exploration in the Mediterranean sea to the rival claims of Agean islands.

^{Greek soldiers prepare to board a ferry at the port of the tiny Greek island of Kastellorizo (Megisti-Meis), the most southeastern inhabited Greek island in the Dodecanese, situated two kilometers off the south coast of Turkey. (Image Credit: AFP/via DailySabah)}

Greece has a different interpretation of the treaties compared to Turkey, the two countries try to find legal grounds in the treaties to justify their actions in the region. Greek government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said in response to President Erdogan’s comments that Greece was dealing with Turkish “provocations” with “calm and determination.”

Oikonomou stated that “It is clear to everyone that our country has upgraded its geostrategic and geopolitical footprint as well as its deterrent capacity to be able at any time to defend its national sovereignty and sovereign rights.”

The Turkish President also vowed to launch a new cross-border offensive in Syria, in order to push back the Syrian Kurdish militia to create a 30 kilometers wide buffer zone along its border. Turkey regards the militia as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

“We will never allow the establishment of terror corridors along our country’s borders, and we will definitely complete the missing parts of our security zone,” the Turkish leader said in the same speech.

“We hope that none of our real allies and friends will oppose our legitimate security concerns,” Erdogan continued.

Turkey’s new offensive in Syria would target the towns of Tall Rifat and Manbij, which lie west of the Euphrates River and from where the Syrian Kurdish fighters launch attacks on Turkish targets.