“We are talking very seriously about the islands, we are not bluffing,” the Turkish foreign minister said today on his return from Israel. Mevlüt Tsavousoglulaunching new threats against Greece.
Speaking to reporters accompanying him on the trip, Tsavousoglou said, according to what the SKAI correspondent was broadcasting in Istanbul, Manolis Kostidis“It is contrary to international law for Greece to violate the status of the islands given to it conditionally in the framework of the Lausanne peace agreements of 1923 and the Paris agreements of 1947.
Whatever excuse Greece finds, it does not apply. What are the terms? Will not militarize these islands. Greece has been militarizing them since 1960 and we said that if it does not stop, the debate on their sovereignty will begin, it is very clear …
We are extremely serious, we do not bluff. Because these islands were granted conditionally. “If Greece in any speech refers to International Law, but does not comply with it, we will go further.”
Also referring to his meeting with Anthony Blinken, he said: “We said openly to the US: The US had a policy of balance both in Cyprus and in Turkey – Greece and the Aegean islands … We see a deviation from this balance, the we told US Secretary of State Blinken, we made a warning.
“Although the Americans have said that bases in one NATO country are not a threat to another NATO country, this increase (of bases) has not escaped our attention.”
In addition, Tsavousoglou said: “We must not go beyond empty words that” Turkey pursues an expansionist policy with expansionist aspirations on the ground. ” This is a violation of the Treaty, in fact, the steps taken by Greece are aimed at threatening Turkey.
“Legally we can not say that it does not matter, to say let him place what he wants, as long as you do not stop the violation, we will follow you”.
Greek letter to the UN
Meanwhile, today the Greek government sent to UN letter for Turkey, with which responds to Turkish demands for demilitarization of islands of the Aegean but also in sovereignty issues posed by Ankara.
According to diplomatic sources, the letter will be delivered to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The letter from Athens comes in response to letter from the Turkish Permanent Representative Feridun Sinirlioglu of 30 September 2021.
Diplomatic sources said the letter stressed that the Turkish allegations were a new development that seriously undermined regional peace and stability.
Also, the claims that the Greek sovereignty in the islands of the eastern Aegean is dependent on their demilitarization are characterized as “legally, historically and factually unsupported”.
Cavusogu paid an official visit to Israel, the first high-ranking Turkish official in ten years.
His Israeli counterpart, Gair Lapid, will pay a visit to Turkey in the near future, during which the two countries will discuss the appointment of ambassadors.
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