Istanbul – Archyde.com
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Greece on Saturday of occupying demilitarized islands in the Aegean Sea, and said Turkey was ready to “do what is necessary” when the time was right.
Turkey and Greece are long-standing foes, while members of NATO, and are at odds over many issues, including mutual accusations of airspace violations, the status of the Aegean islands, maritime borders and hydrocarbon resources in the Mediterranean, and ethnically divided Cyprus.
Ankara recently accused Athens of arming the demilitarized Aegean islands, which Athens denies, and Erdogan has never accused Greece of occupying the islands.
“Your occupation of the islands does not limit us,” Erdogan said, speaking from Samsun in the north of the country. When the (right) time and hour comes, we will do what is necessary.”
Greece responded by saying that it would not follow Turkey’s example in its “outrageous daily slip” in statements and threats.
“We will inform our allies and partners of the content of provocative statements … to clarify who is putting dynamite into the cohesion of our alliance during a dangerous period,” the Greek foreign ministry said.
Turkey has recently been angered by what it says is Greek forces’ harassment of its warplanes.
On August 30, Turkey celebrated Victory Day, a national holiday commemorating its forces expelling Greek forces in 1922.
Erdogan also said on Saturday that Greece “should not forget Izmir,” referring to the Turkish victory.
Ankara says the Aegean islands were granted to Greece under the 1923 and 1947 treaties on the condition that they not be armed. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has repeatedly said that Turkey would begin to question Greek sovereignty over the islands if Athens continued to arm them.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Turkey’s position on questioning Greece’s sovereignty over the islands was “ridiculous”.