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Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hami Aksoy on Friday condemned the joint declaration by the Southern European Union Member States (Med7) summit held on Sept. 10 in Corsica.
Statements included in the Med7 joint declaration were “devoid of any legal ground, biased and unrealistic, as this was the case last year,” a Foreign Ministry statement cited Aksoy as saying. The ministry had called last year’s declaration “another example of the unfair and unconstructive attitude of certain EU members.”
Foreign ministers of Greece, Cyprus, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, and Spain had expressed full support and solidarity towards Greece and Cyprus in the joint statement, repeating calls for dialogue and cooperation.
Condemning the expression of solidarity, Aksoy said, “No solidarity should be extended to those who do not have a just position.”
Aksoy urged Greece to “drop her maximalist maritime boundary claims” in the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, where Turkey opposes Greek islands generating territorial waters for its western neighbour, significantly limiting its access to natural resources in its southern seas.
Aksoy called for Greece to “sit at the table with Turkey without preconditions,” and Cyprus to acknowledge co-ownership status for Cypriot Turks, who live in the northern third of the island under the breakaway state Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus recognized by Turkey alone. The spokesman said:
“For de-escalation, it is imperative for Greece to withdraw her military vessels deployed nearby our seismic survey vessel Oruç Reis, to support NATO’s de-confliction initiative, to quit militarizing the Eastern Aegean Islands and Kastellorizo, and to put an end to the increasing pressure on the Turkish Minority in the Western Thrace.”
Turkey sent exploration vessels accompanied by its navy to what is internationally recognized as the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus last year, kicking off tensions with the Mediterranean island nation and Greece that continue still.
Athens demands Turkey withdraw Oruç Reis and the warships in its company before any talks can begin, while the vessel continues to approach Kastellorizo, the small island at the heart of the conflict that is more than 500 km away from the Greek mainland, and 2 km from Turkey’s southern coast.
On Friday afternoon, the Turkish Navy Office of Navigation, Hydrography and Oceanography issued a new NAVTEX announcing live fire naval exercises to the north of Cyprus from Sept. 12 to 14.
The Eastern Mediterranean issue “is a national matter for us,” main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman Bülent Kuşoğlu said in a press conference on Friday, condemning France for “acting in hostility to Turkey by supporting Greece regarding Eastern Mediterranean,” and expressing support for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The opposition member said the situation in the Aegean was “very unfair.” Greece has “become spoiled” and militarised several islands in violation of the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, Kuşoğlu said, repeating points made by Erdoğan’s government.
Turkey blasts Med7 declaration, announces new naval exercise near Cyprus | Ahval
Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hami Aksoy on Friday condemned the joint declaration by the Southern European Union Member States (Med7) summit held on Sept. 10 in Corsica, while later in the day the Antalya NAVTEX station announced naval exercises off the northern coast of Cyprus to be held...
