Turkish DM Akar accuses Greece of displaying weapons and having "different ambitions"

Greece wants to have the upper hand against Turkey, said Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar on Friday, adding that Greece's armament program is "in vain".

"It's not an arms race, it's a demonstration of weapons," he said, adding: "They are trying (in Greece) to overpower Turkey with armaments and challenges, in cooperation with some other countries."

"This is a futile effort," the minister continued.

Akar said that despite the fact that the two countries are allies through NATO, Greece "has different ambitions that it seeks to achieve through other alliances".

Akar also stressed that no matter what Greece does, Turkey is determined to protect its rights and interests.

"We have problems with Greece both in the Aegean and in the Eastern Mediterranean," he said.

"We, in front of these problems, we are advocates of search solutions based on international law, good neighbourly relations, dialogue and by peaceful means and methods," the minister claimed.

Akar also claimed that Greece continues aggressive actions and statements, without mentioning an example.

The Turkish Defence Minister also stressed that Athens is trying to present Ankara as "expansive" on the basis of "artificial claims", forgetting that his country currently occupies large areas of Cyprus, Syria and Iraq.

Akar also claimed that Greece, in violation of international agreements, is militarising Aegean islands that supposed to be demilitarised, a claim that has been continuously debunked.

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