Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar considered that France’s talk of strengthening its military presence by deploying warships in the eastern Mediterranean undermines the existing efforts to solve the region’s crisis peacefully and through dialogue among the concerned parties.
Akar said that France, which lies thousands of kilometers from the region and has no connection with Turkey’s border areas, is trying to act in a way that harms the spirit of the NATO alliance.
Regarding the escalating tension with Greece, the Turkish Defense Minister said that Ankara wants a logical evaluation of Athena’s allegations and activities, according to unbiased standards, by its friends and allies.
Tensions rose between the two countries on Monday, with Ankara sending a vessel for a seismic survey, accompanied by warships, off the coast of the Greek island of Kastelorizo in the eastern Mediterranean, which prompted Greece to request an urgent meeting of the European Union.
Following the Turkish move, tension between Athens and Ankara increased further on average, as 3 Turkish soldiers were injured Tuesday during skirmishes between the Greek and Turkish navies, when Turkish ships entered the Greek territorial waters, with the aim of exploring for gas.
Referring to the incident, Akar stressed Ankara’s determination to protect its rights and interests in its sea, stressing that “any contact with Turkish ships will not remain without a response.”
