“Positions that contradict International Law do not contribute to fostering a climate of mutual trust or improving bilateral relations,” noted sources from the Greek Ministry of National Defence in response to statements made by Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler in a Turkish Parliamentary Committee.
Greece remains committed to International Law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which it is a signatory, the same sources highlighted.
In any case, the Ministry of National Defence emphasised that the Greek Armed Forces serve as guarantors of national sovereignty and sovereign rights as defined by the rules of international law.
Güler: “Greece violates the Bern protocol”
“Greece is violating the Bern Protocol in the Aegean and conducting research in Turkey’s potential continental shelf in the area,” claimed Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, according to the ANKA news agency.
He further stated, “The deployment of military elements by the United States in Alexandroupoli affects the strategic balances in the region and directly impacts Turkey’s security policies.”
Güler also claimed that “in the Eastern Mediterranean, a series of disputes over maritime jurisdiction arise due to Greece’s and the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus’s maximalist and unlawful claims.”
“Our country undertakes various initiatives both on the ground and diplomatically to protect its rights, interests, and benefits in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Güler underlined.
Güler’s comments on Kastellorizo
Additionally, Güler argued that “Kastellorizo, which is very close to Turkey, just 1,900 metres away, is one of the 23 islands that should have a demilitarised status according to international agreements.”
“However, Greece continues to violate the status of many islands, including Kastellorizo, contrary to the agreements it has signed. Turkey’s stance on the islands with demilitarised status is clear. It is not possible for us to turn a blind eye to the militarisation of these islands and the violation of their status,” he stated emphatically.
Turkey’s view on Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean
In related comments, Güler reiterated that “Greece’s and Cyprus’s activities in the Eastern Mediterranean are harmful.” He reaffirmed that Turkey “will not hesitate to take the necessary measures to protect its national security and sovereignty.”
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Source: Ellada24
