Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Greece it would pay a “heavy price” if it continues to harass Turkish fighter jets over the Aegean and hinted at military action.
Speaking at an aerial technology festival in Samsun where Turkey showcased the prototype of an unmanned fighter jet, Erdogan lashed out at Greece amid rising tensions.
Although NATO allys, Turkey and Greece have decades-old disputes over an array of issues, including overflights, territorial claims in the Aegean Sea, hydrocardon resources in the Mediterranean, and the 1974 division of Cyprus.
In his address, Erdogan accused Greece of “occupying” islands in the Aegean Sea that have a demilitarised status.
“You occupying the islands doesn’t bind us,” Erdogan said. “When the time comes, we’ll do what’s necessary. As we say, we may come down suddenly one night.”
“Look at history, if you go further, the price will be heavy.”
According to AP News, the threat to “come down suddenly one night” has previously been used by Erdogan to hint at looming military operations into Syria and Iraq against Kurdish militants.
Erdogan also made reference to the crushing defeat of Greek forces in Smyrna by the Turkish military in 1922 when he said: “We have one sentence to Greece: Don’t forget Izmir.”
These latest statements come as Turkey has accused Greece of using Russian-made S-300 missile systems in Crete to lock onto Turkish jets in August.
Ankara has also said Greek F-16s harassed Turkish jets by putting them under a radar lock during a NATO mission over the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey is submitting complaints with NATO. Athens has also accused Turkey of violating its airspace.
