Is Greece emboldened because our nation doesn't know what 'Casus Belli' is?!

The most determined partner of the People's Alliance, MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, this time showered Erdoğan with praise in his speech at the UN General Assembly for "being the voice of the silent millions, standing by the right and the righteous, and conveying the rightful stance and will of the Turkish Nation to the whole world with his clear, strong, and impressive messages."

However, as Sabah Newspaper Ankara Representative Okan Müderrisoğlu compiled before the UN meeting, there was not much different from what Erdoğan has been emphasizing since 2014.

This is the Fifth Call

Let's look at Erdoğan's Cyprus message at the UN; he said, "The sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriot people must be registered. The inhumane isolation they are subjected to must end. I invite the international community to recognize the TRNC and to establish political, diplomatic, and economic relations with this state." Bahçeli also welcomed this call by Erdoğan.

This was not new either; Erdoğan made the same call in every speech between 2022 and 2025; this is now the fifth.

So, despite those calls, has anyone recognized the TRNC? You know what five countries from the Organization of Turkic States did in April 2025. When the EU pressured them with funds, they recognized the Greek Cypriot side, and Ankara considered this an "internal family matter"!..

Let us recall more; at the 22nd International Geography Olympiad held in Istanbul on August 11-17, students from the Greek Cypriot side, not the TRNC, were invited. During the medal presentation to the Greek students, an announcement of "Republic of Cyprus" was made, and in the meantime, one of the students opened the Greek flag.

And what did Somalia do, which we shower with praise for Erdoğan and Turkey at every opportunity because we practically feed them what we don't eat and clothe them with what we don't wear? Parliament Speaker Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, an Ankara University graduate, used the phrase "TRNC Parliament Speaker" while thanking TRNC Parliament Speaker Ziya Öztürk for his congratulations. When the Greek press raised a hue and cry about a "Somali provocation," he backtracked, saying, "Do not misunderstand, this is a personal message." The Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announced that they "support the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus and do not recognize a separate administration in the north of the island."

What is Happening in the Aegean

This is our situation in Cyprus. Let's also look at the point reached in Greece's occupation of the islands in the Aegean, which have been in a non-military status according to the Lausanne and Paris treaties since 2004.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis went to Eşek Island (Agathonisi) off the coast of Didim, which is attached to our Aydın province, at the beginning of August and received a briefing from the soldiers there. While boasting about the Greek flags waving there, he claimed that "these borders are not only Greece's but also Europe's borders."

Ankara didn't make a peep. The pro-government media not only hid that Eşek Island is attached to Aydın but also boasted about Mitsotakis greeting boats with Turkish flags on his way back!..

Immediately after Mitsotakis's Eşek Island sortie, Greece ceremoniously deployed soldiers to the Karaada rocks, 2 kilometers from Antalya, where it is impossible to even drive a nail according to Lausanne.

Finally, 12 days ago, Mitsotakis held a three-day show of force on Meis (Kastellorizo), which is in a non-military status, located only 1,950 meters from our country and where Greek soldiers have been running wild for years, as well as on Fener and Karaada, whose sovereignty is disputed.

Ankara, on the other hand—as if it had just noticed that Greek soldiers were stationed on Meis—announced that it had shifted the 51st Commando Brigade to Aydın Söke, directly opposite the island of Samos, which is the closest Greek territory to Turkey.

Five days later, in retaliation, Greece deployed a permanent special operations commando unit to Büyük Derbent in the Evros region on the Turkish border.

Saying "Election Atmosphere" Over and Over

If we come to the duel of words between the officials of the two countries after Mitsotakis's Meis show;

Erdoğan, after saying, "What falls to us? To do what is necessary," if Greece continues to arm the islands, called for, "It must turn back from this wrong path it has entered, it must stop arming the islands in non-military status."

Meanwhile, it emerged that the head of the MIT (National Intelligence Organization) went to Athens and spoke "clearly and openly" with his counterpart, National Intelligence Chief Themistoklis Demiris.

AKP Spokesperson Ömer Çelik said that Turkey's importance to diplomacy and the resolution of problems through negotiation should not be perceived as a "weakness."

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, while stating that the arming of islands in non-military status is a threat to Turkey and that they are making "very subtle, very persistent attempts" regarding this, linked what is happening to the elections in Greece and noted the following:

"There is a Turkey factor in domestic politics in Greece. If they want to attract public attention, the card they will play is the Turkey card. We have bigger, more global problems, but Greek politics has only one subject. We reached a consensus with the current government. It was said, 'As long as these governments are in power, they will do their best to solve the problem, there will be no surprises against each other.' The only place the opposition hits the government there is here. There is an election atmosphere there too, and this language will be used a bit more. But we look at what is official... Our President shows that he wants to solve these issues by talking to every incoming government. If there is an intention to take adventurous steps, the seriousness and power of this state are known by everyone."

The Ministry of National Defense also made the statement, "We once again emphasize that the attempts to create a de facto situation contrary to the non-military status of Meis, which is located extremely close to the Turkish coasts, are incompatible with international obligations and will not be accepted by our country... We invite Greece to comply with its obligations arising from international treaties and to refrain from activities that are incompatible with this status on the islands in non-military status."

Finally, in yesterday's weekly press briefing, the Ministry of National Defense reminded of the Lausanne and Paris Peace Treaties and asked Greece to comply with its obligations arising from these treaties.

Greece Didn't Even Care

Let's also look at the Greek side.

Upon these warnings from Ankara, Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis, while confirming that there has been a relative deterioration in Turkey's rhetoric in recent months, emphasized that "many of the views Turkey is now expressing have also been voiced in the past."

Foreign Minister Yorgos Gerapetritis, who is portrayed as a "peace dove" in our country and is known as Hakan Fidan's "friend," issued the following threats:

"We will respond on the ground. We will scramble the F-35s. We are ready for all scenarios... Expanding regional waters to 12 nautical miles is a privilege of the Greek state arising from International Maritime Law. We have never given up on this... We understand that the reason for these types of tensions that we frequently see from some circles in Turkey is that Greece is gaining real power and has a voice that is heard more than ever before... The person shouting may not always be the strongest person. In fact, it is usually the weakest person... Claims regarding Greece's sovereignty, such as 'gray zones' or the demilitarization of the islands, are arbitrary, unrealistic, and not open to discussion."

When is "Suddenly One Night"?

Okay, no one is saying "let's declare war" on Greece, but it is impossible to understand why it is still ignored that this policy of theirs is an official state policy that does not change according to governments or ministers.

They say "Greece is in an election atmosphere"... It is obvious where they have come from over the decades by saying this, and who knows where they will come to at this rate.

At one time, at least, it was said, "Suddenly one night." Whether it has been forgotten or whether the election period in our country is being awaited is unknown; but let us recall the answer Erdoğan gave to a question about Greece's plans to expand its territorial waters during the NATO Summit in Ankara, which we are very proud of.

"Almost none of my nation knows about this 'casus belli' issue. If you ask what it is, they don't know. Therefore, I don't think there is any need to keep our nation busy with these. We are already saying to our Greek friends, 'Let's not occupy either the Greek citizen or our citizen with these. Let's sit down, talk, and finish the job.' This is our step." he said.

So, almost none of our nation knows that the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) considered Greece's decision to increase its territorial waters to 12 miles as a "casus belli-cause for war" in 1995!..

Let's assume our nation doesn't know, but for this to be considered "distraction/occupation" by the first mouth of our state, what else would embolden Greece like this?!

Müyesser YILDIZ
September 25, 2026