Greek-Turkish relations are on a tightrope, shortly before the start of the new round of exploratory contacts that will take place on Tuesday, February 22 in Athens.
Although the defense ministers of the two countries, Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Houlousi Akarduring their meeting yesterday in the framework of the NATO Council of Ministers stressed the need to keep the channels of communication open, the constant provocative statements of the Turkish officials strengthen the Greek-Turkish relations.
The yesterday provocative statements of Turkish progressRecep Tayyip Erdogan, who indirectly but clearly threatened our country with the militarized islands, provoked the angry reaction of the Greek Foreign MinisterNikos Dendias, who from Norway, pointed out that such statements have nothing to do with International Law and the Law of the Sea.
“Turkish officials, on a daily basis, have entered into a barrage of illegal and provocative statements against us,” which have nothing to do with international law and international law of the sea, he said, stressing that such attitudes call into question His loyalty. to the fundamental values ​​and principles of NATO and to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter.
“I am very sorry to see that Turkey is choosing at this very moment, when there is a deep need for NATO solidarity and there is a deep need to show everyone that we respect the principles of our sovereignty and territorial integrity. […]”chooses to use words that are a challenge to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Greece,” said the Greek Foreign Minister.
At the same time, he reiterated Greece’s readiness to participate in a constructive dialogue with Turkey, on the condition that: “This dialogue must take place in accordance with the rules of International Law and International Law of the Sea. “There can be no dialogue without rules.”
The Turkish allegations
Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned yesterday to the issue of the Greek islands, again raising the issue of demilitarization.
Following Tsavousoglu’s statements, which were unanimously condemned by the EU, State Department and Foreign Officethe Turkish president took the baton:
“It is impossible for us to remain silent about the military activities carried out in violation of the agreements on the demilitarized islands,” he told reporters accompanying him on a trip to the United Arab Emirates.
He added that Turkey brought the issue to the UN. “We will continue to keep it up to date for the next period. In this regard, our minister warned them. However, if Greece continues this work, of course we will make this warning at the highest level, we will do whatever is necessary.
Because, as you know, the issue of islands is always controversial. They may force us to bring up these controversial issues. That is why my Minister warned them at a low level not to force us to open these issues for discussion. And he did well. “
The The issue was reopened in a particularly provocative way a few days ago by the Turkish Foreign MinisterMevlüt Tsavousoglou, who said that “if Greece violates the status of these demilitarized islands and does not back down, the sovereignty of these islands will be discussed.”
Tough confrontation between Dendia and the Turkish ambassador
A little while later and while Nikos Dendias was in a discussion organized by the Norwegian Institute of International Relations, a new episode came to be added to the crescendo of Turkish provocation, this time by the Turkish ambassador to Norway, who blamed Greece for the possibility of expanding its territorial waters and explained why Turkey threatens with casus belli.
Speaking at the event on the situation in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, the Foreign Minister stressed that Ankara chooses to ignore international law and has been threatening Greece with casus belli since 1995.
“Turkey, with specific criminal actions culminating in the Turkish-Libyan memorandum, chooses to ignore the international law of the sea and has been threatening our country since 1995 with a casus belli,” he said.
At that time, the Turkish ambassador to Norway spoke, who was visibly annoyed and said that Turkey was doing what it was doing in response to “unilateral actions” by Greece, such as the discussion on extending the territorial waters to 12 miles. He added that the casus belli was issued by the Turkish National Assembly, when Greece decided to claim the delimitation of the EEZs and the expansion of its maritime borders.
“You claim that Turkey is doing one thing and doing the other, ignoring one point, that all these actions are in response to something you did. So these are the consequences, the Turkish-Libyan agreement was a consequence of something you know very well. The declaration of casus belli by the Great Turkish National Assembly was also the consequence of the so-called Greece, that it would proceed unilaterally to extend the coastal zone to 12 nautical miles and this would practically lock the Turkish territorial waters, the Turkish ability to approach waters and Turkey would be trapped in its territorial waters. “This is what you are implying or trying to say to Turkey,” the Turkish ambassador said.
In fact, for the first time through its ambassador, Turkey stated that it wants an agreement, but not on the basis of international law. “During the UNCLOS negotiations, Turkey was a staunch opponent of the idea that the islands have exactly the same effect on demarcation, because in the case of the Aegean, the Aegean is impossible to accept. The Aegean Sea is a very specific case and as you said this, one side of the sea should be able to see the other. The demarcation must be done by both. So in the Greek-Turkish issues of the Aegean and the rest of the issues, Turkey is possessed by the desire for an honest dialogue, for their solution through an honest dialogue. I was very happy to note that next week there will probably be a new chapter of discussions, exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece at the level of deputy ministers. We look forward to resolving all these issues through dialogue. The Aegean has two coasts. There is a land mass on the other side that you forget called Asia Minor, you may remember it from history and it is the land mass of the Asian continent that you would like to ignore completely that the island has the same effect on land mass as the land. of Turkey. Of course, this is impossible for us to accept. This is the starting point we say you are ready to speak to Turkey on the basis of UNCLOS. Turkey did not take part in Unclos and we can not accept the situation in the Aegean as a solution. So we can not do this dialogue solely on the basis of UNCLOS. ” As the professor said, International Law can be one of the bases for resolution and the others are, justice, equality and mutual rights. If you are ready to accept or take into account the Turkish issues, the Turkish rights and the Turkish needs in this matter, we can always talk and sit down to discuss, to solve these problems. You have failed to highlight the demilitarized status of some islands. This is one of the topics we would like to discuss. It is about international law and its application. “I think that according to international law, agreements are part of international law, direct agreements, the Treaty of Lausanne and the Treaty of Paris oblige you not to militarize some islands,” he said.
Mr. Dendias’s answer was particularly harsh, explaining that what he described was the reality in the eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean, and that nowhere in the world is there a corresponding casus belli from one state to another.
“Who says that because I have not co-signed UNCLOS, if you implement UNCLOS it is a threat of war against you and nothing else. Because that’s what I want. Is this a reasonable contact to do things in the 21st century? Is this really an invitation to dialogue or is it a genuine threat? I could use harsher words than the real threat. So, the threats between Greece and Turkey are solvable, under one condition: that Turkey will come in the 21st century. If Turkey remains in the 19th century, if Turkey insists on the way Suleiman the Magnificent settled affairs, having the armades then this is not acceptable. In my humble opinion, there is a possibility that Turkey will change its ways of understanding. I strongly believe that this will also benefit Turkish society. “There would be a huge dynamic if this issue was resolved,” he said.
He went on to stress that “the Turkish Ambassador said that the Turkish-Libyan memorandum was a reaction to our action. He did not reveal which one. But the question is, can an illegal reaction be accepted? The normal answer to this is: no mistakes. The Turkish-Libyan memorandum is a legal agreement. I heard that this is a reaction to something, no one on earth can defend this agreement on legal ground. “The point of legitimacy is the same as concluding an agreement with Singapore.”
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