Greece continues provocation, Turkish FM says

ANKARA

Greece continues provocation over the Aegean islands, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Dec. 6, referring to Athen’s recent military drill on Rhodos and Lesbos islands in the Aegean.

“Greece continues its provocations. We cannot keep quiet about it,” he said at a joint press conference with Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu.

Türkiye will do “what is necessary” if Athens does not comply with the treaties which stipulate disarmament of these islands, Çavuşoğlu emphasized.

“Either Greece takes a step back and abides by agreements, or we will do what is necessary,” he stated.

If Athens doesn’t want peace, Ankara will do whatever is necessary,” the minister said, recalling President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s warning that “Türkiye can come suddenly one night.”

Greece goes crazy when Türkiye writes letters to the United Nations containing legal arguments after Athens violated the status of the demilitarized islands, the minister stated.

“The mentioned islands and some of the islands that were given to Greece with the 1923 Lausanne and 1947 Paris peace treaties had one condition. Greece cannot arm these areas because this agreement is called a ‘peace treaty,’ and therefore Greece cannot bring weapons to these places,” he said.

Noting that Greece does not fulfill its contractual obligations, Çavuşoğlu said, “[Greece] does it against Türkiye. In other words, Greece does not really want peace because it violates peace agreements.”

“When we look at their answers after we send our legal arguments [to the U.N.], they are purely political, demagogic answers because they are unfair. They can’t put forward a legal argument,” he said.

Emphasizing that there is a direct link between the status of the demilitarized islands and their sovereignty, Çavuşoğlu said, “If Greece does not give up on this violation, their sovereignty will be discussed. On the other hand, Greece is taking negative steps, arming these areas, and taking other steps despite these agreements for our security. Therefore, we cannot remain silent against it.”