Erdogan Threatens Military Attack on Greece; Athens: We Are Ready to Defend

Relations between Athens and Ankara, two regional rivals, have become tense once again, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeated his threat of a possible military attack on Greece, to which Greece has responded that it is ready to defend its national sovereignty.

Turkey and Greece have differed for decades over a range of issues, including territorial claims in the Aegean Sea and the boundaries of their airspace in the region.

These disputes between the two neighbors and NATO members have caused Greece and Turkey to come to the brink of war three times in the past fifty years.

On Tuesday, September 6, during a press conference in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, Erdogan repeated his threat of military attack on Athens in response to a question about his previous statements regarding a possible Turkish military attack on Greece, warning that Turkey could come “suddenly one night” in response to Greek threats.

He said: “What I am talking about is not a dream. If what I said was that we can come suddenly one night, it means that when the time comes, we can come suddenly one night.”

In response, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said that Turkish officials have been making “violent statements” against Greece for days. He specifically referred to Erdogan and said the Turkish president has said his country “can attack Greek islands.”

The Greek foreign minister, speaking after talks with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna in Athens, warned: “I would advise anyone who dreams of attack and conquest to think three or four times. We are in a position to defend our country, independence, and territorial integrity.”

Ankara has claimed that Greece violates international agreements by militarizing islands near the Turkish Aegean coast. Turkey has also accused Greece’s air defense of approaching Turkish fighter jets during NATO exercises over the eastern Mediterranean.

However, Dendias said Greece must defend the eastern Aegean islands, including the tourist areas of Rhodes and Kos, which are much closer to Turkey than to mainland Greece, against Turkey.

Turkey is larger, more populous, and more militarily equipped than Greece.

The Greek foreign minister said Turkey believes these islands are under Greek occupation. He added: “Let me point out that opposite the Aegean islands, Europe’s largest landing fleet and a full contingent of the Turkish army are stationed.”

Dendias also accused Turkey of repeatedly violating Greek airspace and territorial waters.

He said: “This year, 6,100 violations of our airspace, 157 flights from Greek territory, and a thousand violations of our territorial waters have occurred.”

A U.S. State Department spokesperson, in response to a question about Erdogan’s statements regarding Greece, without naming the Turkish president, said: “At a time when Russia has again attacked an independent European nation, statements that could increase tensions between NATO allies are particularly unhelpful.”

Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister said on Tuesday in Athens that his country is “concerned” about the continuing tensions between Turkey and Greece.

Following talks with his Greek counterpart, he emphasized: “The region does not need tension, it needs calm.”

The French foreign minister had traveled to Ankara a day earlier and met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, asking him to refrain from “any escalation of tension, verbal or otherwise.”

Turkey and Greece also differ over oil and gas exploration in disputed areas of the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean.

Earlier, the European Union expressed “serious concern” about Erdogan’s “hostile statements” against Athens regarding Greek islands near Turkey.

Source: Radio Farda