The Defense Ministry on Thursday accused Greece of violating international treaties governing the status of several Aegean islands, warning that Athens’ recent initiatives undermine bilateral relations and contradict the legal framework established by international agreements.
Speaking at the ministry’s weekly press briefing in Ankara, Defense Ministry spokesperson Zeki Aktürk said Greek actions regarding the islands run counter to provisions set out in the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty, which require certain islands to remain demilitarized.
“The initiatives by Greece that violate the status of the islands contrary to duly concluded treaties both create legal violations and damage our neighborly and allied relations,” Aktürk said.
He noted that the Eastern Aegean islands were transferred to Greece under the Lausanne Treaty and the Paris Peace Treaty on the condition that they remain demilitarized.
According to the ministry, islands including Limnos and Karpathos fall under provisions that require them to maintain a demilitarized status.
The ministry said any actions that alter this status constitute a breach of the agreements and stressed that unilateral steps cannot legally terminate the demilitarized provisions established by international treaties.
“These fait accompli attempts do not lead to the unilateral termination of the demilitarized status,” the ministry said in a statement.
Turkish officials also accused Greece of attempting to use regional tensions to advance its own positions.
“We do not accept Greece’s initiatives that do not serve a genuine purpose and aim to turn the crises in our region into opportunities,” the ministry said, adding that Ankara has taken the necessary measures in response.
It was previously stated that Greece aims to deploy five different types of missile systems on Aegean islands and near the Turkish-Greek land border under the “Achilles’ Shield” project.
The ministry also stressed that disputes between NATO allies are particularly concerning at a time when multiple security crises continue to affect the broader region.
