Türkiye vows to protect national interests amid increasingly provocative Greek moves

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye will not refrain from utilizing legitimate methods to protect its national interests in the face of Greece’s increasingly provocative actions, the country’s National Security Council said on Wednesday.

The council urged all “actors encouraging Greece to arm islands that have non-military status … to exercise common sense,” according to a statement released after a four-hour meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the capital Ankara.

The council criticized the US for its recent move to lift the arms embargo on the Greek Cypriot administration, saying the decision was “contrary to the spirit of alliance” and should be revoked.

Türkiye will continue to defend the rights of Turkish Cypriots, the council asserted, while calling on the international community to recognize the independence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The council also condemned Armenia’s provocations against Azerbaijan, urging Yerevan to fulfill its obligations and make efforts for peace.