Fidan: Israel-Greece-Greek Cypriot Alliance Poses Threat to Turkey and Region

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Fidan said Turkey maintains cooperation with regional countries, while its military alliances are based within NATO, noting that Greece is also a NATO member.

Referring to the possibility of Israel, Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration forming a concrete military alliance with joint units, Fidan said such a structure would naturally be perceived as a threat, with Turkey and other regional countries as its primary concern.

“No one should expect this to create any other impression,” Fidan said. “Neither before nor after were we given any assurance or statement saying this was not directed against us. No one told us, while these alliances were being formed, that this was not aimed at Turkey.”

He also pointed to statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the ceremony establishing the cooperation, attended by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, saying those remarks clearly reflected the spirit and purpose of the alliance.

Fidan said Turkey’s response had in fact been restrained due to the ongoing dialogue process with Greece, adding that the military structures and partnerships on the ground could not be ignored.

He noted that, apart from Greece, no other European country had signed a similar agreement involving joint military structures with Israel.

Fidan stressed that this was not only Turkey’s concern, saying many Muslim countries in the region were also seriously worried, even if they were not expressing it publicly.

Referring to Israel’s recent expansionist and occupation policies in the region, Fidan said it would be wrong to portray Turkey as creating unnecessary concerns, insisting that regional fears were based on concrete realities.