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ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday warned Greece to demilitarize islands within the Aegean Sea, saying he was “not joking” with the admonition.
Turkey says Greece has been constructing a navy presence in violation of treaties that assure the unarmed standing of the Aegean islands. It argues the islands had been ceded to Greece on the situation they remained demilitarized.
“We invite Greece to cease arming the islands which have non-military standing and to behave in accordance with worldwide agreements,“ Erdogan mentioned on the ultimate day of navy workouts happening close to Izmir, on Turkey’s Aegean coast. “I’m not joking, I’m talking severely. This nation is set.”
Greece and Turkey are NATO allies, however the neighboring international locations have a historical past of disputes over a spread of points, together with mineral exploration within the jap Mediterranean and rival claims within the Aegean Sea.
“We warn Greece to steer clear of desires and actions that it’s going to remorse, and to come back to its senses,” the Turkish chief continued. “Turkey received’t hand over on its rights within the Aegean, in the identical manner that it’s going to not stand again from utilizing its rights stemming from worldwide settlement.”
Greece maintains Turkey has intentionally misinterpreted the treaties and says it has authorized grounds to defend itself following hostile actions by Ankara, together with a long-standing menace of battle if Greece prolonged its territorial waters.
In Athens, Greek authorities spokesman Giannis Oikonomou mentioned Greece was coping with Turkish “provocations” with “calm and dedication.”
“It’s clear to everybody that our nation has upgraded its geostrategic and geopolitical footprint in addition to its deterrent capability to give you the option at any time to defend its nationwide sovereignty and sovereign rights,” he mentioned.
In the meantime, Erdogan additionally reiterated Turkey’s dedication to launch a brand new cross-border offensive in Syria with the objective of pushing again Syrian Kurdish militia and making a 30-kilometer (19-mile) buffer zone. Turkey regards the militia as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Employees’ Occasion, or PKK.
“We’ll by no means permit the institution of terror corridors alongside our nation’s borders, and we will certainly full the lacking components of our safety zone,” the Turkish chief mentioned.
Erdogan continued: “We hope that none of our actual allies and associates will oppose our professional safety considerations.”
Erdogan has mentioned that Turkey’s new offensive in Syria would goal the cities of Tall Rifat and Manbij, which lie west of the Euphrates River and from the place the Syrian Kurdish fighters launch assaults on Turkish targets.
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