Turkey must lift the 30-year old Casus Belli, a war threat against Greece, if it wants Athens to consent to Ankara accessing European Union defense funds, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday.
“In order for the EU to conclude any defense agreement with a third state, everyone’s unanimity is required. We will see and examine how we will use this tool. However, if Turkiye wants to enter European defense programs, then it must take our own concerns into account. We will directly ask our Turkish friends to take the casus belli off the table after 30 years,” Mitsotakis said in an interview with Skai FM early on Thursday.
In 1995, the Turkish parliament declared a “casus belli,” or cause for war, if Greece unilaterally expanded its territorial waters beyond six nautical miles in the Aegean Sea.
“If Turkey wishes access into European defense financing tools, the legitimate concerns of both Greece and Cyprus should be taken into account,” Mitsotakis said, referring to projects such as the EU’s new flagship arms-buying fund, Security Action for Europe (SAFE) and RearmEurope.
“It has been 30 years since the Turkish National Assembly voted on the infamous casus belli. I think that 30 years later, the time has come to directly ask our Turkish friends to take it off the table,” he told Skai radio.
Mitsotakis said he would convey the message to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan soon, citing improved bilateral ties.
Furthermore, Mitsotakis referred to the electric-interconnection Greece-Cyprus saying that “the perception that the electric interconnection is indefinitely postponed is wrong.”
The Turkish government was not immediately available for comment, REUTERS reported after Mitsotakis’ interview.
Asked about Greece trying to keep Turkey away from EU defense projects, a Turkish Defense Ministry source said earlier that any attempts to disregard Turkey’s importance for European security were bound to fail.
“Carrying bilateral disputes to multilateral platforms and putting forth an approach aimed at excluding our country is both a step that is not taken with good intentions, and not a smart one,” the source said.
Ankara and Athens have been exploring whether they can start talks aimed at demarcating their maritime zones. Mitsotakis said that a high-level meeting between the two countries will take place in the coming months.
It should be recalled that Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said two days ago, that Turkey cannot be included in the “Rearm Europe” plan and SAFE as the country threatens two EU-member states, that is Greece and Cyprus.
Do not give European funds to a country that invaded Cyprus , has a War threat against an EU member !