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Saturday 12 September 2020
With French President Macron backing Greece in the gas conflict with Turkey, Erdogan now has clear words of warning. Prohibit any interference. Meanwhile, Greece is arming its army.
In the dispute over Turkish natural gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected French President Emmanuel Macron’s criticism of his policies and warned him not to interfere. “Don’t mess with the Turkish people, don’t mess with Turkey,” Erdogan told Macron in Istanbul. “Mr. Macron, you will have many more problems with me,” the Turkish president said at a funeral on the 40th anniversary of an attempted coup in Turkey.
Macron had previously said on Thursday that, in his opinion, Turkey was no longer a partner in the Mediterranean region. “Our red lines are simply respect for the sovereignty of each European member state, respect for international law,” said France’s head of state on the Mediterranean island of Corsica at an informal summit of heads of state and government of seven. southern EU countries, including Greece.
Macron criticized Erdogan’s behavior in the Libyan conflict and Turkey’s gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean as “unacceptable.” Greece and Cyprus believe that drilling is taking place in their maritime areas and is therefore illegal. The Turkish research vessel “Oruc Reis” was initially still off the coast of Cyprus on Saturday afternoon, although it was supposed to leave the waters on Saturday.
Greece is arming itself with planes, missiles and torpedoes
Meanwhile, Greece has launched an extensive rearmament program. “There will be a national coat of arms,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Saturday during a speech in the port city of Thessaloniki, which was broadcast on Greek television. According to the Prime Minister, Athens plans to buy 18 French Rafale multipurpose aircraft. In addition, four new frigates will be purchased and four other existing German-produced frigates will be modernized.
The inventory of anti-aircraft missiles, torpedoes and other ammunition will also be increased. Furthermore, the Greek arms industry should contribute more and more to the country’s armaments; this affects shipyards near Athens, for example. According to Mitsotakis, the military personnel will also be expanded: 15,000 new professional soldiers will be hired over the next five years.
Mitsotakis stressed that Greece is ready to peacefully resolve differences over the gas conflict with Turkey. If Turkey wants to do the same and an agreement still cannot be reached, the controversial issue of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) could be taken to the International Court of Justice, he said.
In the eastern Mediterranean, the dispute between NATO members Greece and Turkey over natural gas in the maritime zone has escalated for weeks. Greece accuses Turkey of illegally exploring deposits in the Greek island region. The Ankara government rejects the accusations, arguing that the waters in which natural gas is being drilled as a test belong to the Turkish continental shelf.
