Turkish FM sends letter to EU, UN, NATO on Greek violations
A Greek navy warship heads off the island of Kastellorizo, Sept. 11, 2020. (Reuters File Photo)


Amid repeated provocative actions and rhetoric by Greece in the region in recent months, Türkiye made a diplomatic move on Sept. 1 by sending a letter addressing possible solutions to disputes in the Aegean Sea, diplomatic sources said on Tuesday.

According to the sources, the letter signed by Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu were sent to 25 capitals of the European Union, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council as well as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Explaining Türkiye's position and views on the solution of Aegean problems, the letters also drew attention to the unlawful actions and maximalist demands of Greece.

Emphasizing that there are a number of closely related and interrelated problems in the Aegean Sea, such as the width of territorial waters and national airspace, the limitation of the continental shelf and territorial waters, the letter also noted the violation of the non-military status of the Eastern Aegean Islands, according to the sources.

Moreover, the letter stressed that there are islands, islets and rocks and service areas, such as search and rescue region (SRR), flight information region (FIR) and NAVTEX, whose sovereignty has not been transferred to Greece via valid international agreements.

It also emphasized that Greece claims to have 10-nautical miles of airspace despite the width of the territorial waters in the Aegean being 6-nautical miles. The letter underlined that Greece is the only country in the world which has non-overlapping territorial waters and airspace borders that are not recognized by any other country.

Furthermore, Türkiye expressed the belief that issues in the Aegean can be resolved within the framework of international law with mutual recognition of the fundamental rights and legitimate interests of the two countries.

According to the sources, the letter affirmed that Ankara is pro-dialogue and cooperation despite Athens avoiding dialogue and escalating tensions while including the EU as part of Aegean problems.

According to Turkish Defense Ministry sources, Greece violated Türkiye's airspace and territorial waters over 1,100 times in the first eight months of 2022 alone.

Türkiye, a NATO member for over 70 years, has complained of repeated provocative actions and rhetoric by Greece in the region in recent months, including arming islands near Turkish shores that are demilitarized under the Lausanne Treaty, saying such moves frustrate its good faith efforts for peace.

Commenting on Greece's harassment of Turkish jets, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday said that Ankara's talks with NATO are ongoing adding: "Our sensitivity continues. Greece is aware of this."

"On the issue of radar-lock, our sensitivity persists with determination. Greece is aware of this and has thus chosen to clean up its act," Erdoğan said in the capital Ankara before embarking on a three-nation Balkan tour of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia.

Reiterating a warning to Athens, Erdoğan said: "All of a sudden, we can come overnight."

Later in the day, Erdoğan reiterated his warning that Ankara can do what is necessary in case Greece's 'illegitimate threats' against Türkiye continue.

"They have islands, there are bases on these islands ... and if these illegitimate threats against us continue, there is an end to our patience," he added.

Turkish jets engaged in NATO missions over the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean Seas on Aug. 23 were harassed by a Russian-made S-300 air defense system stationed on the Greek island of Crete.

The president said Turkish officials continue to raise the issue before NATO.

According to Turkish Defense Ministry sources, Greece violated Türkiye's airspace and territorial waters over 1,100 times in the first eight months of this year alone.

Türkiye and Greece have been at odds over issues ranging from overflights and the status of Aegean islands to maritime boundaries and hydrocarbon resources in the Mediterranean, as well as ethnically split Cyprus.

Ankara has complained of repeated provocative actions and rhetoric by Greece in the region in recent months.

It has been strongly criticizing the growing Greek military buildup on islands in the Eastern Aegean, near the Turkish coast and in many cases visible from shore, and a growing U.S. military footprint in Greek border towns.

These islands were required to be demilitarized under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Treaty of Paris, so any troops or weapons on the islands are strictly forbidden.