Turkey will never allow fait accompli in seas: Defense Minister Canikli

ANKARA

The TCG Giresun Frigate operates in the eastern Mediterranean Sea for patrolling and surveillance missions.

Turkey will never allow fait accompli that would diminish its role and sovereignty in seas, Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli has vowed, indirectly referring to Greece and Greek Cyprus.

“We will never allow any attempt or step that would jeopardize or destroy Turkey’s interests in the seas,” Canikli said on June 1 aboard the TCG Giresun Frigate in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The TCG Giresun Frigate operates in the eastern Mediterranean Sea for patrolling and surveillance missions.

“Those who have plans for an attack or threats against Turkey should think twice. We have to take measures to protect this country’s interests in our seas, as we do everywhere. And we are taking them,” Canikli said.

The minister said Turkey has been noticing that some countries are in efforts to introduce new versions of the “Byzantine games” in a bid to eliminate Turkey’s interests in seas. “We will never allow this,” he said.

“We will do whatever is necessary,” he added.

The minister’s indirect comments towards Greece and Greek Cyprus came nearly two weeks after Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar made a similar statement on the issue.

Turkey and Greece have for a long time been at odds over the Aegean Sea. The two NATO allies came to the brink of a war in 1996 over the sovereignty of the uninhabited Kardak islets in the Aegean.