Greece acting the ‘victim’ and ‘sheep,’ says Akar

In line with the incendiary rhetoric emanating from Ankara in recent weeks, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar accused Greece on Saturday of exploiting its membership of the European Union in order to cover up its “illegal and aggressive actions” in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean. 

“Notwithstanding our well-intentioned calls for dialogue, Greece tries to distort every truth and portray itself as a victim,” Akar said, adding that Greece is “disguising itself as a sheep in a bid to cover up its illegal and aggressive actions” against Turkey. 

“[Greece] is taking advantage of its EU membership in order to forge alliances with [the bloc] and to create an artificial threat,” he said, while accusing Athens of seeking to turn its bilateral disputes with Ankara into EU-Turkey, US-Turkey or NATO-Turkey disputes. 

He also accused Greece of violating the Lausanne Treaty of 1923 by refusing to demilitarize its islands. 

“Greece is violating the regime on at least 16 of the 23 demilitarized islands in accordance with the Lausanne Treaty and other international treaties, equipping them and including these islands in NATO military exercises and other exercises,” he said.