As SKAI correspondent Manolis Kostidis broadcasts from Istanbul, speaking to Anadolu, Akar accuses Greece of expansionism, raises again the issue of questioning the sovereignty of the islands and declares that Turkey has the right to self-defense due to the “militarization of the islands”.
Endless provocations from Turkey with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar continuing his incendiary rhetoric amid the heat and pending investigations by Abdulhamit Khan in the Eastern Mediterranean.
As the SKAI correspondent broadcasts from Istanbul Manolis Kostidisspeaking to Anadolu o Hulusi Akar accuses Greece of expansionism, raises again the issue of questioning the sovereignty of the islands and declares that Turkey has the right to self-defense due to the “militarization of the islands”.
He also blames both the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, for spoiling “the possible positive climate that could be created between the two countries”.
In detail, Akar stated: “The attitude of our neighbor Greece is strange, abnormal and decisive. It’s abnormal posture, literally. As they didn’t just go to the USA, in order not to give us the F-16s, they also went to Germany and said ‘don’t give the submarines’.
We do not want the Greek-Turkish problems to become Turkey-EU, Turkey-Europe, Turkey-NATO and Turkey-US problems. The problems of the two countries are problems of Greece and Turkey. But unfortunately the Prime Minister of Greece, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, with aggressive rhetoric and aggressive actions are spoiling the possible positive climate that could be created between the two countries”.
At another point he noted: “They make baseless statements. Now they keep talking about neo-Ottomanism. In our conversations, in our meetings, in our requests there is no such thing. We say international law, treaties of Lausanne and Paris. This is what we say and claim our rights.
“Greece is expansionary”
In fact, showing maps, he continued: “That is, you with 3,000 islands in the Aegean will come in front of our noses and accuse us of expansionism! There really is no logic. We want third countries to see and understand this. There is something that has started since 1832 and continues. There is a process. They have covered the entire Aegean! Who is the expansionist? Even high school students see this. Here we are talking about a country that has expanded 5 or 7 times since its foundation. Who is the expansionist? Against Turkey!”.
He went on to say that Greece has increased its defense budget significantly. “They quintupled him! We tell them don’t get tired, what you are doing is little for the Turkish Armed Forces!”.
In the 12th article of the Treaty of Lausanne and in the 14th article of the Treaty of Paris it is stated that these islands were granted to Greece under the condition of demilitarization. They are the islands with demilitarized status. There are 23 islands, of which they militarized 16! And they come before us with frivolous arguments.”
And he continues: “They went and installed airfields, tanks, mortars. So doesn’t this create our right to self-defense?” Isn’t the installation of weapons under our noses a threat to our country? What happens if we react? Doesn’t the sovereignty of these islands become debatable because of militarization?”
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