"The well-known rhetoric against Greece regarding the militarization of the islands," was reiterated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, speaking about Greek-Turkish relations following the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which took place in Kyrgyzstan.
After concluding his visit, Erdogan answered questions from reporters upon his return to Turkey, referring, among other things, to Greek-Turkish relations.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The question about Greece
A reporter asked him about Greece’s stance, noting that, on the one hand, Athens is sending messages of dialogue to Turkey, while on the other hand, it is increasing its military presence and capabilities in the Aegean islands.
The journalist also referred to recent statements by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who, despite Turkish reactions, declared that Greece’s plans in the region would not change.
Erdoğan responded: “What are we supposed to do? What is our role? We must do what is necessary.”
“We say that we want to move forward with Greece on the basis of good neighborly relations. If we were to speak out to Greece from our own territory—let’s say from Kas—wouldn’t they listen to us? But we have been sincere on all issues. We were the side that acted constructively. However, on many occasions, we did not see the other side reciprocate our goodwill.”
“Greece must now understand one thing: Turkey does not covet anyone’s territory, but it will not allow anyone to violate its rights. Ignoring and violating international treaties will benefit no one. Anyone who interprets Turkey’s level-headed and prudent approach as a sign of weakness—and I say this clearly—is making a serious mistake. Greece must abandon the wrong path it has taken and stop arming the islands that have a demilitarized status,” the Turkish president continued.
“History is a very good guide for those who need to learn from it. We will continue to work for peace, security, and stability in our region,” he concluded, in his remarks on Greek-Turkish relations.
“Those who seek to undermine Syria’s internal peace must not be allowed to do so.”
Elsewhere, when asked about the situation in Syria, he took a jab at those attempting to destabilize the country.
“As Turkey, we are saying the same things about Syria today that we said yesterday. We had pointed out that Syria cannot be a place where terrorist organizations operate freely, that instability there could spread throughout the entire region—and we were ultimately proven right. This means that the United States, too, has now come to understand the realities of Syria. The Syrian people have paid a very heavy price, but they have managed to remain in their homeland. Now they are working to rebuild all of Syria. In this context, I call on all neighboring and friendly countries to help with the reconstruction and rebuilding of Syria. And we will continue to make this appeal. The situation in Syria is also significant, as it demonstrates how correct our vision is and how realistic our policy toward Syria is. It is also crucial to address these challenges. It is essential not to give a platform to those who seek to undermine Syria’s internal peace. “The path to stability in Syria lies in eliminating the seeds of discord,” he said emphatically.
“We are not abandoning the development of our own air defense systems”
Regarding Turkey’s possible reinstatement in the F-35 program and the potential transfer of the S-400s to a third country, he said: “We discussed with Mr. Putin all the issues on our bilateral agenda. As you know, Turkey was one of the partner countries in the F-35 program and had contributed significantly to it. Our discussions regarding Turkey’s reintegration into the program are ongoing. We believe this issue will be resolved once the relevant procedures in the U.S. are completed. While we are making all these diplomatic efforts, we are not abandoning KAAN. We are not abandoning the development of our own air defense systems. On the contrary, we are expanding Turkey’s options. This means a strong Turkey. This is the roadmap for a strong Turkey.”
Source: Proto Thema
