Tag Archives: demilitarization

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan accused Greece  of occupying islands in the Aegean Sea that have a demilitarised status, and said Turkey was prepared to “do what is necessary” when the time comes. “Remember Smyrna” Erdogan threatened during a speech in Samsun on Saturday. Historic rivals while also being fellow members …

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Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar threatened with preemptive action if Athens does not comply with the demilitarization of the islands in the eastern Aegean Sea. “Doesn’t that create the right for self-defense? Isn’t installing weapons in front of our noses a threat to our country?” he said. At the same …

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Greece wants to engage in dialogue with Turkey but is not prepared to make concessions concerning its national sovereignty, nor will it demilitarise its islands simply because Turkey wants this, Alternate Foreign Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis said on SKAI television on Friday. “This dialogue must, of course, take place with rules, …

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Greece must withdraw its military from the Aegean islands or Turkey “will take matters further,”  if Athens failed to do so, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned on Thursday. Ankara is prepared to challenge their sovereignty, he added. “We are not bluffing. If Athens does not comply, we will take matters …

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Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called on Greece to demilitarize the islands and warned that it will start a debate questioning their sovereignty, if Athens does not change its stance. “We sent two letters to the UN. We sent them because Greece is violating the demilitarization regime of the islands. …

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National Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos expressed the clear Greek position on the demilitarization of islands in the eastern Aegean Sea. “What is threatened is not demilitarized,” he said at the Deplhi Economic Forum on Saturday.’ Responding to the criticism of his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar for the visit of President …

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The Turkish navy on Sunday evening issued three navigational (Navtex) warnings demanding the demilitarization of the Greek islands of Samothraki, Lemnos, Chios, Samos, Tilos and Halki. The move came after European Union leaders last week failed to agree on solid sanctions against Turkey over its actions in the Eastern Mediterranean. …

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Turkey issues two navigation notices (NAVTEX) late on Tuesday demanding the demilitarization of three Greek islands. Greek and Turkish Navy forces are in standoff near the island of Kastellorizo due to the activities of Turkish seismic vessel Oruc Reis. At the same time, Ankara has leaked to the press that …

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Under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey ‘s highest National Security Council (MGK) outlined the two main features of its policy towards Greece, short before the exploratory contacts resume. these two features are:  1. “Fair” distribution of natural resources in the area 2. Demilitarization of Greek islands. “Turkey …

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Greece has ruled out that the issue of demilitarization of Aegean islands could be on the table between Greece and Turkey. This was confirmed by government spokesman Stelios Petsas during the briefing on Thursday. Asked whether the government can assure that the issue of demilitarization or withdrawal of the Armed …

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Turkey doeσ not show any sign of intention to de-escalate tensions with Greece and in an unprecedented move it issued a navigation warning, a NAVTEX, demanding the demilitarization of the island of Chios. In its urgent maritime safety information to ships, Ankara goes so far to to invoke the Treaty …

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Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said that Greece has stationed armed forces in 16 of 23 major eastern Aegean islands, violating a treaty that has called for their demilitarization. He also blamed “Greece’s actions” that make it difficult to find a common ground with Turkey. In an interview to …

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Turkey’s challenges towards Greece have no end with Ankara adding a new claim and a point of dispute each and every day. This time the demilitarization of Greek islands was put on the agenda. Defense Minister Hulusi Akar demanded that 16 Greek islands in the Aegean Sea should be demilitarized. …

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Greece’s Foreign Ministry issued a strong statement in response to Turkish claims that Athens “abuses the NATO mission” and that the islands in the Aegean Sea should be demilitarized. Greece speaks of “unacceptable and unfounded claims” that undermine the stability in the area and the cohesion of the NATO. Greek …

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Turkey’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson accused Greece of attempting to abuse NATO’s mission for migrants on the Aegean Sea aimed at drawing international organizations into the dispute on sovereignty rights in the region. In an long, rather endless statement with twisted arguments, the Turkish Foreign Ministry claimed that Greek islands should …

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Greece’s Foreign Ministry has urged Turkey to learn to respect the international law and to not arbitrarily interprets it. In a statement, the Ministry commented to Turkey’s Defense Ministry all on Greece to demilitarize the Aegean islands. Greek Foreign Ministry statement: “Since Turkey claims to respect good neighbourly relations, it …

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Greece violates international law by arming Aegean islands, claimed Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Saturday, in an another provocative challenge to neighboring Greece. Speaking to Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu, Akar also called on his Greek counterpart to take necessary steps with regards to demilitarization of the Aegean …

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Greece has rebuked Turkey after its Defense Minister Hulusi Akar claimed more or less that the sea area off South-East Crete belonged to Turkey’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Ever since 1996 Turkey has been claiming that also the island of Gavdos is part of what it calls “grey zones” in …

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