Ömer Çelik: Avoid Moves That Harm Turkey and TRNC Interests in Eastern Mediterranean

Speaking after the AK Party Central Executive Board (MYK) meeting, Çelik responded to a question on whether the Cyprus issue would feature prominently during the upcoming visit of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. He said the visit comes at a time when Turkey’s presence in the Eastern Mediterranean has increased.

“The Greek Prime Minister’s visit will take place. We have always said that all our problems can be resolved at the table,” Çelik said. He criticised reports about the militarisation of islands that should remain demilitarised and what he described as excessively hostile rhetoric from certain Greek officials, noting that such actions produce negative outcomes.

Çelik also argued that Greece has long sought to turn its bilateral problems into an issue for the European Union. “Unfortunately, the EU has been dragged into this approach. However, especially after the Russia–Ukraine war, it has become clear that this contributes neither to Europe’s security nor to its future,” he said.

Referring to the Greek Cypriot side, Çelik said that solutions would not come from turning it into a base for other countries or engaging in an arms race. “The Greek Cypriot side has made it a priority to invite countries with which Turkey has even the slightest problem and has entered into an excessive militarisation race. This has no benefit and no meaning. There is no result to be achieved through an arms race. Threatening Turkey has no real basis — it is not even something to be taken seriously. Therefore, the Greek Cypriot side should refrain from this,” he said.

Çelik described the Greek Prime Minister’s visit as an important opportunity to enhance diplomatic capacity and resolve problems through dialogue. He said expanding the scope of diplomacy between Turkey and Greece would benefit everyone, adding that mechanisms which are not functioning should be improved and those that are functioning should be strengthened.

“The Aegean Should Be A Sea Of Peace, Not Conflict”

Recalling that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has known Prime Minister Mitsotakis for a long time, Çelik said this could make a positive contribution to bilateral relations.

Stressing that Turkish diplomacy has the capacity to resolve all outstanding issues with Greece, Çelik continued:

“We have always said the following: first, avoid tension. Second, the Aegean should not be a zone of conflict but a sea of peace. In the Eastern Mediterranean, initiatives that harm the interests of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus should be avoided. All of these matters can be discussed at the table and concluded within a diplomatic framework. The Cyprus issue is already one of the main issues. We will continue to stand by the Turkish Cypriot cause on every platform. Protecting the rights and sovereignty of the TRNC is our national cause. The TRNC administration is also in favour of resolving problems through diplomacy and is sending the right messages in this regard.”

Çelik also pointed to wider regional tensions, noting instability in the Balkans, strategies pursued by some countries that increase tension with Iran, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and what he described as inhumane atrocities in Gaza.

“At a time like this, acting with common sense, prioritising diplomacy and avoiding primitive tools such as militarisation are extremely important,” he said.