Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today warned Greece to demilitarize islands in the Aegean Sea, saying he was "not kidding" when he said that.
"We call on Greece to stop arming islands that have a non-military status and to act in accordance with international agreements. I'm not joking, I'm serious," Erdogan said on the last day of Turkish military exercises near Izmir, on Turkey's Aegean coast.
Erdogan stated that he is "warning Greece not to take actions that he will regret" and added that Turkey "will not give up its rights in the Aegean Sea".
Turkey claims that Greece is increasing its military presence in the Aegean Sea and thereby violating agreements guaranteeing the island's demilitarized status. Ankara also states that these islands were ceded to Greece on the condition that they remain demilitarized.
Greece counters that Ankara is deliberately misinterpreting agreements regarding the armed forces on the eastern Greek islands and claims it has legal grounds to defend itself against Ankara's hostile moves.
Bonus video:
