Ankara reacts to Greek President’s demilitarization remarks

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has reacted to recent comments by Prokopis Pavlopoulos accusing Greece’s president of ignoring “fundamental principles of international law.”

During a trip to the Dodecanese islands earlier this week, Pavlopoulos rejected Turkish claims on the demilitarization of the island complex saying that Greece was exercising its right to legitimate defense in light of Turkey’s aggression.

“Our objection to Greece’s militarization of these islands, thereby threatening the security of Turkey, is a basic right granted to our country under the framework of international law,” said the statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry referring to the Lausanne Treaty of 1923.

The statement also expressed “consternation and concern” at Pavlopoulos’s remarks, saying they showed ignorance of fundamental principles of international law.

“It is our fundamental right to react to Greece’s military activity in the Aegean. It is a right, in the context of international law, but also an obligation in order to maintain peace and stability in the region,” it said.