Erdoğan issues warning on Aegean and East Med

Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye will not give up on its rights.

Also issuing a strong message on the Cyprus issue, Erdoğan stated that there is no solution other than the equal, sovereign and independent two-state method on the island due to the ambivalent and imposing attitude of the Greek Cypriot administration.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a warning to Greece in his speech at the Efes-2022 Exercise.

Erdoğan said “We leave it to the international community to decide what it means to demand 40,000 kilometres maritime jurisdiction for Meis island which is less than 2 kilometres from our country’s mainland but more than 600 kilometres from Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean.”

Erdoğan stated that as an ally that pays the highest price in all respects within NATO, they have calmly welcomed the provocations of Greece, which has not responded to any calls for a military delegation meeting for the last two years.

“However, we see that our patience and composure are misunderstood by our interlocutors. Türkiye neither violates anyone’s rights or law, nor lets anyone violate its own,” Erdoğan added.

Calling on Greece to come to its senses, Erdoğan said that Türkiye will not relinquish its rights in the Aegean and will not refrain from using the powers granted to it by international agreements for the armament of the islands when necessary.

Also giving a strong message on the Cyprus issue Turkish President Erdoğan stated that it was the Greek Cypriots indecisive and imposing attitude that did not leave any other solution option other than the equal, sovereign and independent two-state solution method.

“Every effort made by the Greek Cypriots, from giving weaponry training to their priests to allowing terrorist organisations to open offices in Cyprus shows the accuracy of this decision” said Erdoğan.

Referring to the hydrocarbon exploration and drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, Erdoğan stated that activities will be carried out in accordance with the United Nations practices and other international procedures and said, “We have not and will not allow any action to be taken in our jurisdictions”.