Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar once again accused Greece of expansion, this time during the inspection of the construction works of the flagship of the Turkish Navy.
The Turkish minister, accompanied by his country's military leadership, visited the Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις, Turkish: İstanbul) shipyard on Sunday morning, where the multi-role amphibious vessel Anadolu is being built.
There, he referred to Greek-Turkish issues, accusing Greece of undermining dialogue and efforts to resolve disputes peacefully, and of disrespecting international law.
Specifically, Hulusi Akar stated:
"Our Greek neighbors with their actions and words do everything in their power to undermine the work that is being done and the positive course.
"I want to remind them that this is a dead end.
"They will not end up somewhere with these statements and challenges.
"What we are looking for is International Law.
"How do you challenge the articles in international agreements?
"We are in favor of international law and good neighborly relations, but we will never allow the rights of our country and our nation to be violated.
"We will never allow an accomplished event.
"Everyone should know that."
A curious accusation by Akar considering the so-called dispute between Greece and Turkey is over maritime territory, and in which Turkey is only one of 15 countries in the entire world to not sign or ratify the United Nations Charter Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Some of those 15 countries out of 193 United Nations members who have not signed or ratified it are landlocked countries.
Akar also accused Greece of pursuing an expansionist policy:
"I remind our Greek neighbors to tell the truth.
"Those who call Turkey 'expansive,' to look first at their own history, to see the developments from 1821 until today, to look at the map.
"There it is very clear who is expansive and how it has spread.
"It is a great mistake to accuse Turkey of expansionism and to show Turkey as a threat when all these truths are before us.
"Our Greek neighbors should rely on themselves and not on their protectors."
Finally, Akar denied that the genocides of the Armenian and Greek populations took place, claiming that Turkish history is clear on this issue:
"Turkish history is very clear, distinct and transparent.
"The cuticle of this nation is spotless.
"There is no genocide in our history.
"Yesterday Armenia, today Greece come out with some of their own claims.
"This is delusion.
"This is not true, it is a lie, it is wrong.
"It is a move at the expense of a positive course, cooperation and the peaceful resolution of problems."
READ MORE: Akar: “Greece responsible for tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
