Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu launched a series of new provocations, and even a direct threat, against Greece for the country's refusal to demilitarise its Aegean islands.
According to Hürriyet, speaking to reporters immediately after his visit to Israel, he answered a relevant question on Ankara’s well-known story about the so-called demilitarization of the Aegean islands, saying: “We are not bluffing. If Athens does not comply, we will move things forward”.
Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu made the following remarks on Greece’s statements and moves in recent days: “We have said openly to the US: They [USA] have a policy of balance in Cyprus as well as in Turkey and Greece and the Aegean islands."
"We see a deviation from this balance, we told US Secretary of State Athony Blinken, we warned the US. While people said that bases in one NATO country are not a threat to another NATO country, this increase has not escaped our attention, of course”.
Continuing, however, Çavuşoğlu noted that: “On the other hand, it is contrary to international law for Greece to cancel the status of the islands given to it conditionally in the framework of the Lausanne Peace Accords of 1923 and 1947 in Paris."
"Whatever reason Greece finds, its justification does not apply. What are the conditions, that it will not equip these islands?"
"Greece has been militarizing them since 1960 and we said that if it does not back down, the debate on sovereignty will begin, it is clear.
"We are extremely serious, we are not bluffing because these islands are under conditions.
"If Greece, which speaks of international law in every speech, does not comply with it, we will go further. Greece’s steps are aimed at posing a threat to Turkey."
READ MORE: Turkish claims on demilitarising the Aegean Islands via Treaty of Lausanne are fake: Here’s why.