President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday said Greece was not Türkiye’s equal politically, economically or militarily, amid heightened tension between the two NATO allies.
“I would like to make the following reminder about Greece, which has recently stepped up its harassment and rudeness toward our country. Greece is not at our level, as it is not our equal politically, economically, or militarily,” Erdoğan told a televised address after chairing a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara.
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.
Erdoğan’s remarks came two days after he warned Greece not to “go too far” and accused it of occupying islands in the Aegean Sea that have a demilitarized status, stressing that Türkiye was prepared to “do what is necessary” when the time comes.
“Greece’s occupation of Aegean Sea islands is not our concern,” Erdoğan said on Saturday. “When the time comes, we will do what is necessary. As we say, all of a sudden, we can come overnight.”
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.
Türkiye has also accused Greek fighter jets of locking radar-targeting systems on Turkish fighters that it says were in international airspace. Turkish jets were most recently reported to have been harassed by the Greek Russian-made S-300 air defense system stationed on Crete.
“If you go too far, the price will be heavy,” Erdoğan said on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the president also touched upon his upcoming three-day Balkan tour including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia.
"As Türkiye, the representative of peace, tranquility, development, and equity in this region where tensions have recently risen, we continue to fulfill our duties," he added.
The Balkans is a priority for Türkiye not only for political, economic and geographical reasons, but also due to its historical, cultural and human ties with the region.
Erdoğan also expressed solidarity with Pakistan, where floods have killed over 1,300 people besides damaging swathes of agricultural land, leaving millions homeless and destroying infrastructure, saying: "We could not remain indifferent in the face of this problem, which causes many (other) problems."
He added: "50,000 tents, 100,000 food and cleaning materials were prepared to be sent to the region. As of today, 11 planes, and two kindness trains have moved to the region. The third train leaves tomorrow," he added.
The president said Ankara will continue to extend help "until Pakistan heals its wounds."
