“They May Need the Ability to Swim”: Turkey’s Defense Minister to Greece

Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has once again accused the Greek authorities of provocative actions in the islands of the eastern Aegean Sea during an interview with a Turkish newspaper. Akar's statement comes just days after a visit by Greece's Defense Minister to the island of Kastellorizo.

The island is located merely two kilometers from the Turkish coast, which Akar described as a 'direct access zone.'
“Due to these Greek provocations, we had momentarily forgotten that they know how to swim. If this behavior continues, they may need the ability to swim,” the Turkish Defense Minister stated.

Akar reiterated that Greece should demilitarize the islands that are in direct proximity to the Turkish coast. “If that does not happen, Turkey gains the right to self-defense, which in turn raises questions about the sovereignty of those islands,” Akar added.