Turkey’s National Security Council issued a warning to all directions: the US, the Kurds, Iraq and of course, Greece and Cyprus. After the monthly meeting on Wednesday, the NSC chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan under the political and military leadership of the country, issued a statement officially warning its two neighboring countries in the West.
“A general assessment of the developments in Cyprus, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Aegean. In particular, it is stated that Greece’s attitude and behavior is being monitored with sensitivity on our side, [and these] are inconsistent with good neighborliness. It has been decided that there will be no concessions in the rights and interests of Turkey,” the statement said regarding Greece.
The same warning addressed Cyprus and its exploration and drilling activities, adding that Turkey is “demanding a share for itself” and the North of Cyprus. which Ankara has been illegally occupying since 1974.
The statement also warned, Turkey may “take action” in Syria’s Manbij if the region is not cleared of militants.
“It was stated [during the meeting] that terrorists in Manbij should be removed from the region as soon as possible, or Turkey will not abstain from taking initiative,” it said.
The statement said the National Security Council meeting, which lasted for four hours, assessed threats aiming at Turkey’s national security, specifically referring to the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ), Turkish press stresses.
“Besides Syria, it is expected from the Iraqi state to prevent terrorist group actions in various locations in Iraq, especially in Sinjar and the Qandil Mountains,” the statement said.
