Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu warned Greece over the claims that Athens has the intention to extend its territorial waters around the island of Crete to 12 nautical miles.
“We will not allow the expansion of (Greek) territorial waters by even 1 mile in the Aegean, let alone 12,” Çavuşoğlu said during an end-of-year press briefing in the capital Ankara.
‘Don’t get into sham heroism’
In his warning speech, Çavuşoğlu cited a Turkish parliamentary 1995 decision on the matter, saying: “We are warning Greece once more. Don’t get into sham heroism by trusting those who might have your back. Don’t seek adventurism. It won’t end well for you!”
Scope of the 1995 declaration
The 1995 declaration warns that if Greece increases its territorial waters in the Aegean beyond 6 miles, parliament will give “all powers,” including military powers, to the government to defend Turkey’s interests.
Çavuşoğlu said that declaration “remains in force today.”
Turkey continues its dialogue with the UN, US, Russia, Iraq as well as Syria’s Assad regime, he said, also commenting on a tripartite meeting of the Turkish, Russian, and Syrian defense ministers and intelligence officials in Moscow on Wednesday.
“I will also be meeting with (Russian Foreign Minister Sergey) Lavrov,” he added.
