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Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems ready to fight Greece. Even to celebrate Turkey’s victory over Greece during the 1922 war, he reiterated this.
“When the time comes to go to war, we will not hesitate to make sacrifices,” Erdogan emphasized in his speech. AFP, Monday (8/31/2020).
“The question is: when they fight us in the Mediterranean, are they willing to make the same sacrifice?”
“To our enemy, we will say: Come (war)!”
The dispute between Turkey and Greece has heated up in recent times. The problem is related to the gas content in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.
In the report of the United States Geological Survey, the Eastern Mediterranean Sea has oil reserves of 1.7 billion barrels. Meanwhile, the gas is 3.5 trillion cubic meters.
Turkey sent its research vessel Oruc Reis from 10 August. The ship investigation off the island of Crete outraged Greece.
Greece claims that the territory is its waters. Greece submitted a note of objection informing the European Union, which it joins.
The tension eventually attracted several countries. Turkey was backed by the United States (US) and Italy, while Greece was backed by France.
Countries in conflict have also stepped up their military patrols in the region. Turkey itself has stepped up shooting exercises since Saturday (8/29/2020).
Last Friday, Turkey even intercepted six Greek planes that were approaching the area of the country’s research vessels and forced them to turn around. France is reportedly sending F-16s to the region.
In the Erdogan era, Turkey was indeed aggressively seeking sources of energy. Previously, the country discovered gas resources in the Black Sea region.
320 billion cubic meters of gas fields were discovered on Friday. This helps Turkey reduce its dependence on energy imports from Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan if the gas can be extracted commercially.
The findings will also reduce Turkey’s energy import costs, which reached $ 41 billion last year. It even increases public finances and helps alleviate the current account deficit (CAD).
Erdogan said his country was determined to become a net energy exporter.
“These reserves are actually part of a much larger source. God willing, more will come,” Erdogan said last week. “It will not stop until we are exporters of clean energy.”
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