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Turkish Defense Minister Houloussi Akar[/B], speaking at an event for Sadiq Ahmet, referred to the problems between Greece and Turkey.
"We have some problems with Greece in the Aegean, the Mediterranean and Cyprus. These problems are becoming deeper because of the populist and intransigent behavior of some Greek politicians, which is not in line with international law and is out of touch with reality. Despite all our well-intentioned calls for dialogue, Greece tries to give the image of a victim country, distorting all kinds of facts, dressed in a lambskin coat to cover up its illegal and aggressive actions. It resorts to the EU, creating an artificial perception of threat and forming alliances within an alliance, while in order to solve its problems with Turkey, it tries to reduce them to Turkey-EU-US or Turkey-NATO problems. Greece acts against international law, common sense and historical facts in almost every issue between us," he said.
12 miles, demilitarization, island sovereignty
The Turkish defense minister categorically rejected the scenario of extending Greece's territorial waters to 12 miles, while reiterating the issue of the demilitarization of the islands and Kastelorizo, as well as the sovereignty of certain islands.
"It cannot be explained in terms of logic and justice that our neighbour wants to unilaterally extend its territorial waters to 12 miles and claims to have 10 miles of airspace despite having 6 miles of territorial waters. There has never been such a practice in history, neither today nor in international law."
Akar said Greece violated the demilitarization regime on at least 16 of the 23 islands, as stipulated by international treaties, particularly the Lausanne Treaty. Greece is trying to deceive them, claiming sovereignty over islands, islets and rocky islets whose sovereignty has not been transferred to Greece by any treaty and even putting some of these islands up for sale," he said.
"Greece's illegal arrogance is trying to imprison Turkey"
"Greece continues its absurd and illegal claims in the eastern Mediterranean," the Turkish defense minister continued.
"A maritime zone of 40 thousand square kilometers is required for Kastelorizo, which is only 10 square kilometers and is 1950 meters from Turkey and 600 kilometers from Greece. Greece, claiming rights to areas under Turkey's maritime jurisdiction with an illegal arrogance, is trying to imprison Turkey, with some 1900 km of coastline, a country with the longest coastline in the Mediterranean, in the Gulf of Antalya."
"Greece's arms sevadas are provocative"
Houloussi Akar once again expressed his annoyance over Greece's arms issue, claiming once again that Greece is "expansionist".
"All of Greece's illegal and irrational actions clearly reveal its expansionist concept," he said.
"The fact that Greece, which was founded in 1832 with an area of 47,517 square kilometers at the time, has almost tripled its size in 7 stages, is a clear indication of this expansionism."
"The fact that Greece, founded in 1832 with an area of 47,517 square kilometers at the time, has almost tripled its size in 7 stages, is a clear indication of this expansionism. All these are actions that do not contribute to regional stability and security, on the contrary, they escalate tensions and are against the spirit of neighbourliness and alliance. Moreover, Greece, with the encouragement and provocation of certain countries, has fallen into an arms race that is provocative. Some Greek academics, diplomats and military officers openly express that this approach is a futile effort," he said, also claiming that Greece continues its practices of exclusion and oppression of "Turks" in western Thrace.
"As Turkey, we will continue to defend the rights and freedoms of the Turks of Western Thrace within the framework of international law and international human rights, and stand firmly against policies that deny their identity," he stressed.
Source: ethnos.gr
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