Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday described as "greedy and incompetent" the leaders of France and Greece, in a context of heightened tensions between Ankara, Athens and Paris in the eastern Mediterranean. These outrageous statements come as Turkey celebrates Victory Day on Sunday, a national holiday marking the rout of Greek forces by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's army in 1922, during the Turkish War of Independence.
Also read: "The Franco-German couple no longer exists: Merkel's refusal to support Greece and France against Erdogan proves it"
A century later, Ankara and Athens, who are fighting over the sharing of the immense gas resources in the Mediterranean, are rolling the war drums, multiplying naval maneuvers under the eyes of a preoccupied Europe. "Do the Greek people accept what is in danger of happening to them because of their greedy and incompetent leaders?" , Erdogan first launched during a graduation ceremony for officers in Ankara. "Do the French people know the price they will have to pay because of their greedy and incompetent leaders?" , he added.
These remarks by the Turkish president reflect the volatility of the situation in the Mediterranean after three weeks of an escalation triggered on August 10 by the deployment of a Turkish seismic research vessel in waters claimed by Athens. In a sign of support for Greece, France last week stepped up its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean. Paris also denounced Sunday the "escalatory behavior" of Ankara.
Read also: Tensions in the Mediterranean: Erdogan's ambitions go beyond the standoff with Athens
"When it comes to fighting, we do not hesitate to give martyrs (...) The question is the following: are those who set up against us in the Mediterranean and (in the Middle East) ready? to the same sacrifices? " , Erdogan said. “To our enemies, we say 'stingy!'” He continued.
Ankara, which is inflexible in the face of threats of European sanctions, also announced on Saturday new military maneuvers in the north of the island of Cyprus. And Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay warned the same day against any extension of Greek territorial waters to 12 nautical miles, compared to six currently. It would be a “casus belli,” he said.