As of: March 1, 2024, 4:09 p.m
By: Erkan Pehlivan
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After Turkey and Greece became closer again, there is a threat of new disputes.
Ankara calls for the demilitarization of several Greek islands.
Athens – There have been repeated conflicts between Turkey and Greece in recent years.
Both countries accused each other of violating each other's territory.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had threatened missile attacks and an invasion.
After the devastating earthquake of February 6, 2023, things had calmed down.
Greece had provided extensive aid in the disaster area.
But the danger for the Greek islands in the Aegean has apparently not been averted.
This emerges from a response from Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to a parliamentary question on December 27, 2023.
“The violation of the non-military status of the islands represents a serious threat to the security of Turkey and the region.” The sovereign rights in the Aegean have not yet been finally clarified, said the Turkish Foreign Minister.
Greece could lose sovereignty over Greek islands
Fidan's answer came a short time after Erdogan's visit to Athens on December 7, 2023. At that time, Erdogan described his host, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as his "friend".
In Athens they agreed to improve relations with each other.
Turkey has in the past accused Greece of arming its islands off the Turkish coast.
This mainly concerns the islands of Mytilene, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, Lemnos and Samothraki.
According to Fidan, the status of the islands was regulated by the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923 and the Paris Peace Treaties of 1947.
Athens could not claim its sovereign rights over these islands unless it fulfilled its obligations under the treaties.
Joint press conference between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
© IMAGO
Türkiye wants to maximize pressure on Greece
The latest threats from Ankara do not surprise Prof. Dr Emmanuel Karagiannis, an expert on international security at King's College in London.
“The military threats against Greek islands and Erdogan's demand for a revision of the Lausanne Treaty are not accidental developments.
They are an expression of a new Turkish foreign policy that is intended to maximize pressure on Greece.
Turkish officials have hinted at territorial claims against Greece, even though the islands of the East Aegean are inhabited exclusively by Greeks,” says Karagiannis in an interview with
FR.de
from
IPPEN.MEDIA
.
Expert calls demilitarization on islands “political suicide”
Another unresolved problem between the two states is the ongoing division of Cyprus, which continues to concern Greek society.
“Greek society has been traumatized by the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and such threats are seen as credible.
Therefore, partial or complete demilitarization of the East Aegean islands is political suicide for any Greek government,” said Karagiannis.
Estonia also cannot afford to demilitarize an area on the border with Russia.
“It is not clear why Ankara called for the demilitarization of the Greek islands, considering that Greece is a NATO member country and has no territorial claims against Turkey,” he said.
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Greece and Türkiye are massively arming themselves militarily
The Turkish Foreign Minister's words come at a time of massive military buildup.
After much back and forth, Turkey has managed to get a commitment to purchase F-16 fighter jets from the USA.
Greece is also massively rearming and, in addition to modern F-16s, is also receiving F-35 fighter jets from the USA.
According to the Greek newspaper
Katherimini,
Washington has attached conditions to the deal with Ankara.
Accordingly, Turkey is no longer allowed to fly over Greek islands with the new aircraft.
It is questionable whether the country will adhere to it.
In recent years, Erdogan has repeatedly clashed with his Western partners.