[ad_1]
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today warned Greece to demilitarize the islands in the Aegean Sea, saying his recommendation “is not a joke”.
Turkey has said that Greece has increased its military presence in violation of treaties guaranteeing the unarmed status of islands in the Aegean Sea, arguing that the islands were left to Greece based precisely on the guarantee that they would remain demilitarized.
“We call on Greece to stop arming demilitarized islands in accordance with international treaties,” Erdogan said on the last day of military maneuvers Turkey is conducting in Izmir, in the Aegean coastal city. “I’m not kidding, I’m serious. “This nation is determined,” he said.
Greece and Turkey are NATO allies but the two neighbors have a history of territorial disputes such as energy exploration east of the Mediterranean Sea and claims to the Aegean islands given to Greece after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1913.
Erdogan said today: “We warn Greece to stay away from dreams and actions it may regret, and to come to its senses. “Turkey will not relinquish its rights in the Aegean, just as it will not relinquish its rights arising from the international agreement.”
Greece claims that Turkey is deliberately misinterpreting the treaties so it can defend itself against Ankara’s actions.
In Athens, Greek government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said Greece was facing “provocations from Turkey, calm but determined.”
Erdogan also reiterated the country’s initiative to launch a cross-border offensive in northern Syria aimed at pushing back Syrian Kurdish militants and creating a 30km-wide demilitarized zone.
Turkey views the militants as a branch of the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been declared a terrorist organization.
“We will never allow the establishment of terror plants along our borders, so we will complete all parts of our security zone,” the Turkish leader said.
“We hope that none of our true allies or friends will oppose our legitimate security concerns,” Erdogan added.
He said the new Turkish offensive in Syria would hit the towns of Tall Rifat and Manbij, west of the Euphrates River, from where he said Kurdish fighters had launched attacks on Turkish targets.
top channel
[ad_2]
Source link
