Ankara will oppose any Greek expansion into the Aegean Sea, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has warned, commenting on recent reports about Athens’ plans to extend territorial waters around the island of Crete to 12 nautical miles.
“We will not allow the expansion of [Greek] territorial waters even one mile in the Aegean, let alone 12,” the foreign minister was quoted as saying by Anadolu agency.
“We are warning Greece once again. Do not engage in false heroism by relying on those who might back you. Do not seek adventurism. It will not end well for you!” he said.
In his comments, Cavusoglu cited the 1995 statement, which said that if Greece increases its territorial waters in the Aegean beyond six miles, the government will have “all powers” at its disposal, including the military, to defend the interests of Turkey.
< H2>Turkish parliamentary decision “is still valid today,” the minister said.
The foreign minister vowed to continue protecting his country’s rights in the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, while recalling that Ankara tried to open talks with Athens. “However, we suspended the dialogue due to [Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos] Mitsotakis’ campaign against Turkey, provocations in the Aegean, accusations of genocide and pressure on the Western Thracian Turks,” he stressed.
Ankara has had territorial conflicts with Athens for decades. Last June, the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, called on Greece to stop militarizing the islands of the Aegean Sea. The Turkish president pointed out that his country will not give up its rights in the Aegean Sea or hesitate to use its powers derived from international treaties.
In addition, he urged Athens to refrain from “dreams and actions that will result in regret, like a century ago,” referring to the Turkish War of Independence, which took place between 1919 and 1923, during which Greek forces were expelled of his territory.
