With unimaginable threats and unbelievable allegations, the Turkish Foreign Minister reacted to the Greek step for the flight of the Turkish fighters at a distance of 2.5 miles from Alexandroupolis.
As it transmits SKAI correspondent Manolis Kostidis from Istanbul, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanzu Bilgic said:
“Hellenic Air Force F-16 aircraft violated our airspace west of Gökçeada on 16 May 2022 and west of Enez on 17 May 2022. Our Air Force provided the necessary response to these provocative violations on 18 May 2022, in accordance with the rules of reciprocity and engagement. Greece is once again trying to shape the perception of the international public opinion against our country using the tension that started with its own provocative actions. In this context, we completely reject the baseless allegations and accusations made against our country by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs with its announcement of May 20 and we strongly condemn the Greek violations of our airspace. “In order for such incidents not to happen again, Greece must stop its provocative actions in the Aegean and seriously approach the process of Confidence Building Measures, both bilaterally and within NATO, which has been avoiding participating in its meetings for a year now.”
Erdogan strikes on all fronts
“Veto” in NATO for the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO … “Bargains” for the F-16 … Violations of Greek airspace and flights to and from near Alexandroupolis … Aggressive rhetoric against allies or members of the European Union, such as Cyprus … Neutral stance on Ukraine … Turkey was, is and will continue to be a force which causes problems in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region and NATO, faithfully following the tactics of the “bazaar” whether it is its relations with the EU, or with the USA, or its position on Immigration. It instrumentalizes everything, demands collaborations and profits, threatens Greece and Cyprus and systematically violates territorial integrity, with overflights, aggressive moves in the Aegean or on the occasion of hydrocarbon exploration.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan escalates the tension, addressing -and- inside Turkey, in view of the elections to be held in the neighboring country. Lately, however, the Turkish provocation has reached the red lines and is being perceived and felt outside the Greek territory. The “veto” on the accession of Finland and Sweden, under the pretext that they support “terrorist groups”, is a prime opportunity for NATO members to realize the stalemate that Greece has been facing for decades.
F-16s and the exclusion from the F-35 program
Something similar happens with the F-16s and the armament program from the USA. The purchase of missile systems by Russia was a clear violation of NATO security rules, which resulted in the exclusion of Ankara from the F-35 program, in which Greece aspires to join.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan was asked by SKAI whether the Ankara-requested F16 upgrade would go off the table if Turkey blocked Sweden and Finland joining NATO.
Mr Sullivan expressed confidence that the issue of the two Nordic countries could be resolved and declined to answer “a hypothetical question”.
The US government is trying diplomatically to separate the two issues, but Turkey is not improving its image in Washington with its actions. Sullivan also said that whether Turkey’s demands were met, that this is not an American issue.
Escalation in Turkish provocation is also observed in relations with Greece. Overflights, violations, daily accusations, characterizations and aggressive, even threatening in some cases, statements, compose the scene of tension, which is fueled by Ankara at every opportunity, even by falsifying historical facts.
Flight 2.5 miles from Alexandroupolis 24 hours after Mitsotaki’s speech to Congress
The flight of Turkish fighters at a distance of 2.5 miles from Alexandroupolis, the day after Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s speech to the US Congress, is indicative of the climate that he wants to create and the mentality that Ankara handles the situation.
The unprecedented Turkish provocation took place almost 24 hours after the historic speech of the Prime Minister in the Congress. On Wednesday at 11.25 two Turkish F-16s flew north of Samothrace at 2.5 nautical miles from Alexandroupolis.
The reaction of the Foreign Ministry was intense, which protested to the Turkish ambassador in Athens, while at the same time, in a statement issued, it speaks directly about the clear escalation of the Turkish provocation.
Diplomatic sources say that with its move, Turkey seeks to send a message to the United States due to the importance that the port of Alexandroupolis has acquired for the country. Turkey is bothered by the huge military, commercial and energy upgrade of Alexandroupolis that greatly increases the Greek geopolitical footprint in the region.
THE Ankara annoyance and the delusional statements by Erdogan’s ministersboth the results and the impact of the trip of the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Washington today were expressed with the violation of the national airspace and with the pair of Turkish fighters reaching almost over Alexandroupolis.
The announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs follows:
We condemn in the strongest terms the unprecedented violation of national sovereignty by two Turkish fighters, which illegally entered our national airspace and approached Alexandroupolis at a distance of only 2.5 nautical miles.
This action is a very clear escalation of the Turkish provocation.
It is part of Turkey’s effort to promotes its neo-Ottoman revisionismviolating all the fundamental rules of International Law.
This undermines the cohesion and immediate priorities of NATO, and poses a clear threat to the European Union at a critical juncture, as the port of Alexandroupolis is a key transport hub for strengthening our allies.
By order of Minister Nikos Dendias, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Themistoklis Demiris, made an immediate and intense protest to the Turkish Ambassador here. At the same time, instructions were given to inform our allies and partners, as well as the EU, NATO and the UN.
Dozens of violations on Friday in the Aegean
Four pairs of Turkish F-16s, 1 Turkish UAV unmanned aircraft and 2 Turkish CN-235 naval cooperation aircraft entered today at Athens FIR without submitting a flight plan. 9 violations of air traffic rules were recorded in the Athens FIR which developed into 44 violations of national airspace (29 by CN-235, 3 by fighter and 12 by UAV) throughout the archipelago. Two Turkish planes were carrying weapons.
In all cases all Turkish aircraft were identified and intercepted by respective Greek fightersin accordance with international rules, on a regular basis, while in one case the interception process turned into a stalemate, as became known by GEETHA.
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