In the midst of tense ties between the two nations over territorial disputes, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a warning that his country’s domestic missiles might reach the capital of Greece.
Greece has been concerned about Turkey’s homegrown ballistic missile test, according to President Erdogan on December 11. He said that if Greece keeps militarising islands in the Aegean Sea that are close to the Turkish mainland, Ankara won’t stand by and do nothing.
The Black Sea was the site of an October test of a domestic short-range ballistic missile named Tayfun, which is Turkish for “storm.” This missile can travel 561 kilometres and strike the target in 456 seconds.
“You mention Tayfun, and Greece is worried because they believe Athens could be hit. Of course it can hit, that much is certain. Turkey won’t watch as Greece tries to arm the islands with weaponry it purchased from the US. Turkey will take action “Erdogan said.
Regarding islands in the Aegean Sea, relations between the two NATO members, Turkey and Greece, have gotten worse recently. As Turkey organised its naval to assert rights to prospective oil resources in the eastern Mediterranean, tensions between the two countries have gotten worse recently.
Previously under the jurisdiction of the Ottoman Empire, the Aegean Islands were ceded to Greece in accordance with treaties signed in 1923 and 1947 on the condition that Athens uphold the region’s demilitarised status due to its proximity to the Turkish mainland. Greece, a NATO member, has been charged by Ankara with pursuing a plan to militarise the islands.
If the neighbouring nation continues to transfer armaments there, the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlit Cavusoglu has vowed to reconsider Greece’s claim to sovereignty over the Aegean Islands. However, these cautions from Turkey were disregarded by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
