Tensions keep growing between Turkey, Greece

Mustafa Kamel

Turkey has been causing problems to its European neighbors in its desire to control natural gas in the East Mediterranean region.

It encouraged thousands of refugees to cross into other European countries and opened the door for terrorists to move into the same countries.

Greece and Cyprus come at the top of the countries Turkey is causing problems to. Enmity between Greece and Turkey is deeply rooted. It dates almost two centuries back.

Thorny issues

There are different reasons for disputes between Athens and Ankara, including the presence of a large number of Turkish political opposition figures and Kurds in the former.

Greece’s attempt to expand its borders in the Aegean Sea, with the aim of exploring minerals, also brought it nothing more than hostility from Turkey.

The Greek deputy minister of defense said a short while ago that Turkey tries to solve its internal problems by pursuing hostile policies in the region. A Greek newspaper quoted him as saying that possible attempts by Turkey to expand its maritime borders would be met with a powerful military and diplomatic response from Greece.

“Nevertheless, we do not hope that this happens at all,” the Greek military official said.

Meanwhile, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis accused Ankara of violating his country’s sovereignty.

He added during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the U.S. had to protect its interests in the Mediterranean.

“Cyprus wants nothing more than the implementation of international law,” Mitsotakis said.

Ambitions, blackmail

Russian writer Sergei Maknov dwelt on Turkish ambitions in the region in a recent article.

The situation in the East Mediterranean keeps getting more tense, he said.

He referred to remarks by the Greek minister of defense that his country is ready for any possibility, including military confrontation with Turkey.

Maknov noted that natural gas pipelines come at the center of disputes between countries in the region, with Turkey wanting to control these pipelines in its bid to control the flow of natural gas to Europe.