By greekcitytimes.com
Turkey’s Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar has threatened Greece not to make “miscalculations” over the Aegean.
“We can conduct operations in Afrin [in northwest Syria]. We can conduct operations in Turkey’s east and southeast. If necessary, we will fulfil any duty that may be assigned to us in the Mediterranean and in the Aegean without hesitation. No one should make any miscalculation on this issue,” Akar was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu Agency on May 20.
Akara was speaking during a visit to the TCG Gaziantep battleship, which is taking part in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) White Strom military exercise in the Mediterranean Sea. He was accompanied by the force commanders of land, navy and air forces.
He did not say “Greece” but indirectly mentioned the long-term tension between the countries. Akar recently held an in-person meeting with his Greek counterpart Adm. Evangelos Apostolakis at the NATO headquarters on the margins of a NATO meeting.
“What is essential is good neighbourly relations, friendship and respect for human rights and international law. We are expressing our views on this issue at appropriate platforms. But we have always expressed that we are ready to use all the authorities pledged to us unfalteringly if dialogue and cooperation do not work,”Akar said.
