Turkish war drums in the eastern Mediterranean

“Red Cloth” is for Turkey the European ultimatum for sanctions in September, as well as the uncompromising stance of the Greek Armed Forces, with Ankara continuing to pose challenges both verbally and in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The list of possible sanctions, the issue of the continental shelf and the 12 miles in the Aegean, the diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the tension and the successive “slaps” received by Turkish fighter jets did not scare Turkey, but infuriated it. of her uncompromising attitude towards the achievements she wants to create in the region.

Representatives of the Erdogan government, as well as the Turkish press, are setting a bellicose tone on what is happening in the eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean, leaving clear indications of a possible heated incident. A typical Yeni Safak article claims that the Turkish Armed Forces have a mandate to act without accountability to Ankara.

As reported in the report: “The Turkish Armed Forces are prepared for any eventuality, even for a conflict. That is why the Navy commanders have been instructed to respond to potential challenges, without asking Ankara.”

The Athens EEZ agreements with Italy and Egypt are openly illegal by Turkish government personnel, raising the tone, citing the “cause of war” as the expansion of Greece’s territorial waters in the Aegean.

But beyond the open threats of war, Ankara interprets these agreements as it sees fit. According to a letter to Antonio Guterres, the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations, Feridun Sinirlioglu, with the agreement with Italy, Greece “also recognizes that the islands do not automatically have the right to a continental shelf and an EEZ.”

Sinirlioglou goes a step further by noting that “even Crete, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean with an area of ​​8,300 square kilometers, has received reduced influence under the so-called Egypt-Greece agreement. However, the persistent Greek claim provides a total influence for Kastellorizo, although it would only be granted a coastal zone, but without continental shelf or EEZ according to the jurisprudence of the pertinent international courts. ”

Consecutive Navtex extends the stay of Oruc Reis in if. Mediterranean

At the same time, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşo ότιlu said that the Turkish research ship Oruc Reis would remain in the eastern Mediterranean for 90 days.

Mevlüt Çavuşoλουlu said that “partial” Navtex will be issued for Oruts Reyes’ stay in the eastern Mediterranean, affecting each region separately and on different dates.

As he clarified, the first Navtex will refer to investigations in western areas (ss areas of the Turkish-Libyan memorandum) and after 3 months Oruts Reyes will approach the (Turkish) continent.

Tal Navtex aired a few hours after the informal meeting of the Foreign Ministers in Berlin. With this, Turkey is blocking an area between Rhodes and Cyprus, where it will carry out exercises with live fire. It should be noted that the duration of the new NAVTEX is from today until September 11.

“Gunpowder” Ankara for 12 miles

The reason for the war was the possible expansion of Greek territorial waters into the Aegean, noted Turkey’s foreign minister, however, noting that Ankara is not bothered by its expansion into the Ionian Sea.

“Greece acts as it wants where it has rights. That does not concern us. However, in the Aegean they cannot extend their borders to 12 miles. This is a cause of war. We are not going to allow Greece to expand its territorial waters from 6 to 12 miles. miles. I say it very clearly, “said the head of Turkish diplomacy, clearly questioning our country’s agreements with Italy and Egypt for the delimitation of the EEZs.

Meanwhile, the deputy prime minister of Turkey is restoring the casus belli, in the event that Greece expands territorial waters in the Aegean to 12 miles, and even raises the question of sovereignty of the Dodecanese.

Fuat Oktay also characterized the “attempted” war as the expansion of the territorial waters of Greece.

“If Athens’s attempt to expand its territorial waters is not a cause of war, then what is?” asked Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay.

#BREAK ‘If Athens’ attempt to expand its territorial waters is not a cause of war, then what is?’ asks the Turkish vice president

– ANADOLU AGENCY (ENG) (@anadoluagency) August 29, 2020

“The accident will not happen to us. They say (the Greeks) that ‘an accident or something like that can happen’. Well, we will do whatever it takes. If we don’t do it here as a nation, where will we do it? If we don’t do it here what is necessary, if we do not claim our rights, where will we claim them? This is Turkey’s position. You are right under my nose, countries have a continental shelf, but these islets may have territorial waters but not a continental shelf, our attitude it is based on law. They may not have a continental shelf. They cannot have an exclusive economic zone. “We cannot accept that,” said the Turkish vice president.

He also said that Turkey would protect in every way its rights over every cubic meter of water in the eastern Mediterranean.

2️⃣ We are well aware of the issues of peace and diplomatic language, but we will not hesitate to do what is necessary to protect Turkey’s rights and interests. France and Greece are among those who know this best.

– Fuat Oktay (@fuatoktay) August 29, 2020

In fact, Fuat Oktay raised the Dodecanese issue, as did the head of the “Gray Wolves”, Devlet Bahceli.

The Turkish vice president, referring to Greece and Cyprus, without naming them, emphatically stated that they would crush those who try to stop them in the Mediterranean.

“Forgive us, but we tear and throw away this map, but we also crush – if necessary – those who are thinking of implementing this map. Now we see a structure and a European Union that is a tool of this (structure), which is trying to redesign the same map that we made for our country (that is, the Treaty of Sevres) and for the seas. That is why they are again using Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration as a tool and as a tool, “said Fuat Oktay, who stated that Turkey also has territorial waters and a continental shelf in the eastern Mediterranean.

How does Athens respond?

The Greek Foreign Minister responded immediately and harshly to Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay’s war chants about the extension of Greek territorial waters by 12 miles.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that Turkey’s unprecedented perception that it could threaten its neighbors with the use of force when exercising their legal rights is contrary to modern political culture, but also to the fundamental provisions of the international right.

Athens reminds Ankara that “the exercise of Greek sovereignty is not subject to any form of Turkish veto.”

“We call on Turkey to realize that international law and the values ​​on which the modern international order is based are binding on all countries in the world,” stressed the Greek Foreign Minister.

Turkey’s “belts” in the air

The Turkish Defense has pushed all limits in recent days and, despite being submerged by the Greek “hawks”, it continues to provoke.

For the umpteenth time, the Turks are trying to create a climate and a hot episode with their provocative movements from the air, since, according to a statement from GEETHA, the Turkish Air Force showed criminal behavior, even though it had assured that it would not provoke, during the entry of B-52 into the Athens FIR.

Specifically, the Turkish jets attempted to harass the Greek F-16s accompanying the American bomber, but once again their efforts fell on deaf ears, as Greek fighters intercepted them.

The Turkish “editor” is fully operational

A few hours earlier, the Turkish publisher took office again after the Turkish National Defense Ministry tried to engage in a propaganda war with carefully isolated plans.

After the Turkish Air Force accident when eight Greek fighters took off from the 115th Battle Wing of Crete, in order to meet the seven Turks who intended to harass two planes of our Air Force, resulting in ten minutes of air battles and fleeing To return to their base, they wanted to respond with a two-minute video to the Twitter account maintained by the Turkish Defense Ministry.

It claims that six Greek F-16s that took off from Crete headed south to Cyprus, approaching the area occupied by Ankara via the irregular Navtex.

However, the authenticity of this video is questionable, as there is strong evidence that it is a product of processing.

The list of sanctions against Turkey

Following the conclusion of the informal council of EU foreign ministers, and despite initial wishes, Josep Borel today presented a list of “options for future sanctions” against Turkey.

The sanctions presented by Josep Borrell at the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers raise hopes and concerns at the same time for Turkey’s compliance, and experts consider financial sanctions and turning off the tap on Turkish companies more important.

The penalties are as follows:

1. Restrictive measures in case of continuation of illegal drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean.

2. Register of vessels involved in illegal investigation activities.

3. Sector sanctions (sales, acquisitions, export of material related to energy research, technology and product transfer)

4. Financial services (banking and industrial sector): Ban on loans to Turkey by state-owned banks

5. Possibility of reducing European funds

6. In case of non-compliance by Turkey in September, travel ban can be considered.

7. Further strengthen Turkey’s action records in the KD and Greece maritime zones under the existing sanctions regime against Turkey.