Turkey is increasingly underpinning its provocative actions in the Mediterranean with threatening gestures against Greece. President Erdogan is targeting the Greek islands. The dispute intensifies.
“Don’t forget Izmir, don’t forget Cyprus”, “We are ready to do what is necessary”, “We can suddenly come in the middle of the night” – Turkey is increasingly addressing its neighbor Greece with this rhetoric. The latter statement can now be heard repeatedly from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Most recently, he threatened his neighbor again last Thursday with the words: “We could undoubtedly come in the middle of the night” – this time at the founding summit of the European Political Community in Prague, which was attended by more than 40 heads of state and government. Turkey is increasing its threats, provoking a war with Greece at a time when, further north, Russia is invading Ukraine.
Turkey warns of “disaster”
For years, Turkish fighter jets have been circling over Greek islands and engaged in risky confrontations with Greek fighter planes in the air. Drones are now also being used. And the Turkish Navy patrols waters outside of its sovereign territory, according to Greek media. Turkish gas drilling ships near Greek islands repeatedly provide additional explosives. Athens reacts by mobilizing its military. A few days ago, when the Turkish ship “Yunus” was still in use for research purposes near the island of Lesbos, Greece sent warships and submarines to the Aegean Sea. Military exercises, for example with France and the USA, are also intended to deter the militarily superior neighbors.
Turkey has now set its sights on the Greek islands in the eastern Mediterranean – and has menacingly tightened its dealings with Athens. Main accusation from Ankara: an alleged militarization of the islands. In late September, a photo circulated in the Turkish media purporting to show a Greek landing ship dropping dozens of armored military vehicles ashore at a port. These should be tanks from the USA, which were stationed on Samos and Lesbos. Athens refers to the right to self-defense. Turkey itself has stationed the largest landing force in the Mediterranean on the Aegean coast, but sees the alleged militarization of the islands as a violation of international agreements.
Erdogan reacted promptly: “The militarization will not go unanswered.” He further threatened: “We advise the Greek government to refrain from provocations that would lead to catastrophe for itself and its people.” And: “We will defend the rights of our country against Greece.” If it seems necessary, “then with all the means and methods that are available to us.” Because of the once bloody conflicts between the two countries and long-standing tensions, Greece spends more money on armaments than any other NATO member. “Because our neighbor is Turkey and not Denmark,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis once said.
Greece relies on dialogue, Turkey rejects
Athens tries to present itself diplomatically. For example, Mitsotakis said at the Prague summit: “We close all windows in the event of provocations, but leave the door open for dialogue.” After the serious mining accident in Turkey on Friday, which cost the lives of 41 miners, Greece’s prime minister offered help on Twitter.
Athens is in favor of de-escalation in the conflict and calls for negotiations. Mitsotakis appealed to the Turks at the United Nations General Assembly at the end of September: “Greece does not pose a threat to your country.” At the same time, however, the Greek prime minister made it clear: Anyone who violates the country’s borders will be punished.
As recently as last March, the two NATO partners agreed to resolve conflicts bilaterally. But after a meeting between Erdogan and Mitsotakis in May, the Turkish president said: “For me, Mitsotakis no longer exists.” The reason was the Greek prime minister’s visit to Washington, which was about arms sales to Greece in the face of increasing instability in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey has since severed diplomatic ties with Athens.
Behind Erdogan’s war rhetoric could be a desire for escalation
When Erdogan now says that the Turkish military could “come in the middle of the night,” this can undoubtedly be taken as a warning signal. According to observers, in view of the forthcoming presidential elections next June, the Turkish president could deliberately want to distract attention from the domestic political problems in his own country. However, it is by no means clear that his confrontational course is not aimed at a military conflict with Greece.
Erdogan’s words are reminiscent of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. Erdogan also used this formulation before Turkey invaded northern Syria and before its military operations in northern Iraq. And one can also interpret Erdogan’s statement that “no one can limit Turkey’s horizon to 780,000 square kilometers” to mean that he is aiming for an expansion of the country. A few days ago he spoke at an event about the history of Turkey and in this context about the city of Assos by Aristotle and the city of Troy by Homer, both thinkers and scholars from ancient Greece. The Turkish President continued: “Turkey is not just a country made up of the borders shown on the maps. The borders of our heart have an expanse that our ancestors described as ‘three continents, seven seasons’.”
As he reports, the Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar recently said in a speech to military students: “In 1922 the Greeks fell into the sea. Don’t forget how to swim … you should be able to swim.” Akar was referring to the 1920-1922 war. At that time Atatürk’s troops conquered the Greek Smyrna. Erdogan is now accusing Athens of violating Turkish sovereign territory – and thus indirectly justifying his provocations.
According to a report published on Monday by the organization “Nordic Monitor”, which is critical of Turkey, Erdogan is planning an act of sabotage that is intended to escalate tensions with Greece. According to the report, a specially trained unit of the Turkish secret service is said to be raising Turkish flags on Greek islands and possibly even conducting a false flag operation to justify a Turkish reaction. “Nordic Monitor” claims to have learned this from trusted sources. The organization is based in Sweden and is run by two journalists who say they have worked for Turkish media, among others. One of the two was the editor-in-chief of a daily newspaper in Turkey that was shut down by the government because of reports on the Turkish secret service. He now lives in exile.
Washington and Brussels refer to sovereignty and territorial integrity
Washington and Brussels are reacting with sharp warnings to Erdogan’s war rhetoric, for example the US State Department stressed: “The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected and protected. Greece’s sovereignty over these islands is undisputed.” Similar statements also come from Europe. But it stays with words. An active de-escalation course, for example through the mediation of other states, and possible sanctions against Turkey have so far not materialized.
Sources: , , , , , , , , , , , with material from the dpa
Source: Stern
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