2022 assessment with casus belli by Cavusoglu – The reaction of the State Department and Athens

Direct threats of war against Greece were once again launched by the Turkish Foreign Minister. THE Mevlut Cavusoglu warned that Turkey would not allow Greece to exercise its inalienable, legal right to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles nor at all south and west of Crete causing the immediate reaction of the Greek Foreign Ministry but also the dissatisfaction of the State Department.

“In the last few days, there have been reports in the Greek press that the Greek territorial waters will be extended to 12 miles around Crete. Our position is clear, not 12 miles but we will not allow territorial waters to be extended even one mile further into the Aegean. The decision taken by our Parliament in 1995 on this issue is clear and continues to apply. Once again I want to warn Greece. Don’t make lies relying on those you are trying to get behind you. Don’t get into adventures and you know the end will be very bad.

We had started exploratory contacts with Greece. But because of the campaign launched by Mitsotakis against Turkey, because of the challenges in the Aegean, the allegations of genocide and the pressures against the Turks of Western Thrace, we put the dialogue on hold.

We had sent two letters to the UN in 2021 regarding the violations committed by Greece on the demilitarized islands. And so we recorded that Greece, because it violates the terms of the Lausanne and Paris Treaties towards us, will not be able to express sovereignty rights” said the Turkish Foreign Minister.

#Canlı 📡

Basınla Yılsonu Eğerlendirme Topulını

📍Ankara https://t.co/b994NhrwYL

— Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (@MevlutCavusoglu) December 29, 2022

Crete is also in the “frame”.

However, Mevlut Cavusoglu immediately after his provocative statements which he made without being asked by journalists, he also showed a map to reinforce what he said. Specifically, as broadcast from Istanbul the correspondent of SKAI, Manolis Kostidis, claimed that a ship starting from Constantinople to reach the Mediterranean, in case it does not extend the territorial waters to 12 miles and to Crete west and east, then it will not be able to reach the Mediterranean.

Immediate response from the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded in a harsh tone to Mevlut Cavusoglu’s threats stressing, among other things, that “Greece prefers International Law to the crude threat of violence”.

In detail, the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out the following:

“Turkey should finally understand that there are rules followed by all civilized and privileged states. Threatening to use violence because you don’t like the rules is reminiscent of other centuries and certainly not the 21st.

In the crude and unprecedented threat of violence by modern standards, Greece puts forward the rules, exercising all the rights derived from International Law”.

Rape from the State Department

The State Department also expressed its displeasure with the new provocative statement of the Turkish Foreign Minister by responding to a related question from SKAI and his correspondent in the USA, Christodoulos Athanasatos. As he points out, these provocative statements “don’t favor anyone” and asks Greece and Turkey to peacefully resolve their differences

“At a time when unity is most needed among our Allies, the United States regrets the escalation of provocative statements. We urge all our Allies to avoid threats and provocative rhetoric that will only increase tension and help no one.

We continue to encourage our NATO Allies, Greece and Turkey, to work together to maintain peace and security in the region and to resolve disputes diplomatically. Greece and Turkey are both strong partners and key NATO allies of the United States.” he said characteristically.

Syrigos: Unthinkable and contrary to International Law

For his part, the Deputy Minister of Education and Professor of International Law and Foreign Policy, Angel Syrigos speaking on SKAI’s main news bulletin, he called Mevlut Cavusoglu’s statements completely “unthinkable and contrary to International Law”.

“All this is unthinkable and contrary to International Law. International Law has a special status, especially for these cases. It is not a regime of harmless passage, it is called in English “transit passage” and has been translated into Greek as “plus transit” Mr. Syrigos pointed out.

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