US President Joe Biden’s promise that he “supports” Turkey’s request to acquire F-16 and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s new threats – warnings to Greece that they may “overnight come suddenly”, from the floor of the meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) in Bali, Indonesia, have been dominating the Turkish media for the last few hours with characteristic headlines.
The presence of the Turkish president at the G20 summit was accompanied by direct threats against Greece. Using an international stage and in front of dozens of foreign networks, Erdoğan repeated the threat to our country that: “one night we will come suddenly”, pointing out that this is a very important statement for him, which Athens should take into account.
“I insist on one night we will come suddenly. This statement is important to me. Greece must know its borders and the terms of the neighbourhood. No matter how much they fill the islands with weapons, it will do them no good. If they read the past, they will see what has happened. What I said is not a question of power, it is a question of the heart,” the Turkish president said defiantly during a press conference.
Of course, what preceded, mainly in his private meetings with the presidents of the USA and France, Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron respectively, as well as with the Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni, probably would not have been very pleasant for him.
In the meeting with Joe Biden, it became known, according to the announcement of the Turkish presidency, that the American president reiterated his support for Ankara’s request for the F-16s, which is currently blocked by the House of Representatives.
However, at the same time, the senator and chairman of the Senate International Relations Committee, Bob Menendez, repeated in all tones that as long as he is in the same position and has a say in the sale of military equipment, he will not agree to sell F-16s to Turkey, adding that the US not reward a country that is aggressive towards its neighbours.
Analysts estimate that the acquisition of American F-16s by Turkey reminds of the proverb: “one on the nail and one on the horseshoe” from the USA.
It was preceded by the announcement of the State Department’s disapproval of the decision of the Organization of Turkish States to accept the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” as an observer, pointing out that: “The decision is not consistent with the principle of territorial integrity in the UN Charter” and that the US recognise the government of the Republic of Cyprus as the only legitimate government of the island.
In the four-four Erdoğan – Macron, the French president asked his Turkish counterpart directly to avoid any re-warming of tensions in the eastern Mediterranean and to maintain the momentum of de-escalation of the previous year on a permanent basis.
The position of the French president has particular weight, due to the clear position on issues concerning Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean, but also due to the fact that the defence agreement with our country is in force, for which the Greek government does not hide its annoyance with Turkey.
The Turkish president also met with the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, where they discussed issues related to illegal immigration, as well as the crisis in Libya. Issues that directly concern Greece as well.
Menendez: Erdoğan is a dictator, I do not approve the sale of F-16s
“The threat of the occupied area is one that has to be taken very seriously. The US should not put any F-16 fighter jets in President Erdogan’s hands. I will not approve any F-16s for Turkey until he halts his campaign of aggression across the entire region,” US Senator Bob Menendez said.
The senator, who supports the Greek and Greek Cypriot sides in their respective disputes with Turkish and Turkish Cypriots, said he was proud to be a supporter of the Cyprus cause and asked “everyone to make sure that the last Turkish soldier leaves Cyprus.”
