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Insisting on the rhetoric of tension with Greece, Recep Tayyip Erdogan was in Izmir with his far-right government partner, Devlet Bahçeli, and a number of ministers to attend the Efes 2022 exercise.
Wearing a blue jockey jacket and a navy jacket, Erdogan spoke briefly with defense ministers of countries in attendance, as well as the chiefs of staff.
The Turkish president, in a well-placed fiesta, appeared at the exercise site in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, which he described as a "flying fortress."
Then, after being briefed by the Commander of the Ground Forces on the exercise, the Turkish Armed Forces started firing on targets within the exercise, while the Turkish President did not miss the opportunity to position himself at the end by unleashing off-limits threats together with the Turkish presidential spokesman.
The truth is that the Turkish side is trying to communicate the military exercise as a response to the diplomatic "raps" it is receiving from the US and the EU, which have consistently sided with Greece and asked Ankara to stop its provocations.
At the same time, the Foreign Ministry was responding to extreme Turkish provocation by presenting 16 maps in an effort to deepen the wider public's understanding of Turkish revisionism.
Erdogan: "We are not joking - Stop arming the islands"
Insisting on his false claims, Erdogan called on Greece to stop arming the islands, saying... he is not joking, while once again personally attacking Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
"I am not joking, I am serious. These people (Turkey's armed forces) are determined, if they say something, they keep their word."
As he said, the Russia-Ukraine war showed that peace and stability in the world hang by a thread. "At such a critical moment, we regret that our country's rights and interests in the Aegean, the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus are being violated. Some Greek politicians are trying to get on the agenda with words and actions that are far from reality."
However, according to Erdogan, it is clear that they will not succeed. "They will answer for it before history. We leave it to the discretion of the international community to seek authorization for Kastelorizo, which is less than 2 kilometers from our mainland in the Eastern Mediterranean."
"We call on Greece to stop arming the islands and to act in accordance with international agreements. Mitsotakis is probably making tourist trips to the islands[/B]," he added.
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Celik's threats
At the same time, Turkish presidential spokesman Omer Celik, who also attended the Efes 2022 exercise, made a vile threat to Greece in a tweet.
"One night we will come suddenly," he wrote, posting photos from the exercise.
Ακάρ: Greece does not learn from history
Turkey's Defence Minister, Hulusi Akar, also sent messages against Greece in his speech during the exercise.
"The objectives set today have been achieved. We congratulate our friends and allies who contributed significantly to the success of the exercise. Once again, we have seen in the field the results of the weapons and ammunition produced by our domestic and national defense industry. Greece continues its aggressive policy. It persistently continues its absurd claims without learning from history. Greece shamelessly accuses Turkey of expansionism. This is doublespeak. Armament and alliance efforts are futile attempts."
Earlier, the Turkish Defense Ministry released video footage of land army helicopters, armored and artillery, landing ships and Turkish navy special forces soldiers destroying a radar with rockets, as well as artillery fire from Turkish ADA class corvettes.
Πηγή: in.gr
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
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