As a guarantor country, Turkey will also protect the rights of the TCs, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said, while recalling the Turkish National Assembly's decision on casus belli in case Greece extends its territorial waters from 6 to 12 nautical miles in the Aegean Sea.
The Turkish minister accused Greece of continuing its intensive armament with the supply of expensive weapons and armaments and questioned against whom Greece is arming.
At a year-end press conference, the Turkish defense minister said Turkey urged Greece not to make a move "by miscalculation" by increasing its territorial waters from 6 to 12 nautical miles in the Aegean Sea, and reiterated the Turkish government's call for the neighboring country to resolve all disputes through peaceful dialogue.
"I hope they don't make a mistake and think of extending the territorial waters to 12 miles. This is a miscalculation," Hulusi Akar said, adding that "Turkey and Greece have a number of outstanding issues stemming from the Aegean Sea, including the latter's claim that it has the right to extend its territorial waters from the existing 6 to 12 miles under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Turkish National Assembly declared in 1995 that unilateral action by Greece on territorial waters would constitute a casus beli, which means cause for war. Turkey is not a party to UNCLOS."
"They should not try to test us," Hulusi Akar said, adding that Greece would be better off settling for its existing 6 miles of territorial waters. The Turkish minister said that if Greece imposes 12 miles of territorial waters in the Aegean Sea, Turkey would have no room at all to sail towards international waters without the consent of the Greek government. "What kind of logic is this? This is unfair and against the law," Hulusi Akar said. Asked about Greek calls for Turkey to withdraw the Turkish National Assembly's decision on the casus beli, Hulusi Akar said "it is a matter of national security."
The Turkish minister complained that despite the fact that Greece has expanded its territory more than four times since its establishment, it still accuses Turkey of expansionist policies. "There is a status quo in the Aegean. You have 6 miles of territorial waters, be thankful for that. What we are saying is that both sides should benefit from the wealth and live in peace," he said."
The Turkish minister claimed that some Greek politicians and officials continue aggressive and provocative actions and rhetoric against Turkey. "They are trying to portray us as a threat, while they are the ones arming the demilitarized islands," Hulusi Akar said.
[/P]He said that despite Greek provocative moves, Turkey still seeks to resolve problems through dialogue and reiterated Ankara's call for the fourth round of talks between the two defense ministries in the Turkish capital. "The Greek minister said they are assessing our appeal and we are waiting for them," Hulusi Akar said."
The Turkish minister said another important move of concern to Turkey is the fact that Greece is creating new alliances with some NATO countries at the cost of distorting the allied principle of collective defense."
"We are allies with Greece in NATO. Yet they are making deals. An alliance within an alliance... This only weakens NATO. Why are you doing all this when NATO exists?" he asked.
Hulusi Akar said Greece continues to heavily arm itself with the supply of expensive weapons and equipment and asked "against whom is this against?" He said Turkey maintains its good intention to solve problems with Greece, but it should not be taken as a sign of weakness, and promised that Turkey will not abandon its commitment to protect its rights and interests in the Aegean and Mediterranean Sea.
"Similarly, as a guarantor country, Turkey will also protect the rights of Turkish Cypriots," he said. "Turkey is an effective, strong and reliable ally for its friends," the Turkish minister said."
Source: CNA
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