The State suffocated in the Aegean!..

“To cross the sea and drown in a creek” as the saying goes; let us look at how our administrators, who claim to steer the world, drown in a creek.

14 days ago, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that two new Marine Parks would be declared in the Aegean and Ionian Seas during the “Our Ocean Conference” to be held in Athens on April 16-17.

What did this mean?

Let us learn the answer from the harsh statement issued by our Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the very same day.

The Ministry, emphasizing that Greece, which is known to have long sought to exploit almost every platform in the context of Aegean issues, is this time exploiting environmental matters, stated the following:

“We advise Greece not to use Aegean issues and matters concerning the status of some islands, islets, and rocks whose sovereignty has not been transferred to Greece by international agreements within the framework of its own agenda. We would also like to warn third parties, including the EU, not to become tools for Greece’s political moves regarding environmental programs... We reiterate that we will not accept the de facto situations that Greece may create on geographical formations with disputed status.”

In plain Turkish, Greece had sent the message that it would now increase its occupations in the Aegean under the guise of a “marine park.”

Naturally, Athens’ response to Ankara was not delayed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, claiming that Turkey was politicizing a purely environmental issue, stated that “the Greek Government will continue to fully support the country’s sovereignty and sovereign rights within the framework of its foreign policy principles.” Government Spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis stated that this was merely an action aimed at protecting the environment and reminded that the only issue they would discuss with Turkey was “the determination of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the continental shelf.” Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, who found Turkey’s reaction unacceptable, said, “If I am going to hunt on the island of Antipaxos (Ionian Sea), am I going to call the Turkish ambassador and ask for permission? The Marine Park in the Aegean covers the Cyclades (Western and Central Aegean) region. Turkey can say whatever it wants. Whether Turkey likes it or not, Greece has rights in the Aegean.”

Ultimately, despite Ankara’s warning, Greece held the “Our Ocean Conference” on April 16-17 and announced, in the words of Prime Minister Mitsotakis himself, that it would create those two parks.

AKP AND THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE ARE ON ALERT, BUT...

This time, the address for Ankara’s reaction was the AKP Headquarters and the Ministry of National Defense.

Speaking after Wednesday’s AKP Central Executive Board (MKYK) meeting, Spokesperson Ömer Çelik explained that the normalization policy between us and Greece had been progressing with a very good momentum following Erdoğan’s visit to Athens, and described the conference as a “troublesome step,” saying:

“We consider this a situation that sabotages the normalization process. We declare once again to Greece that it should not deviate from the path of diplomacy and that Turkey will not allow their marine park approaches in this framework in any way. We hope they act with common sense. Greece should avoid all kinds of exploitation. The region cannot tolerate more tension and violence.”

One day later, at the Ministry of National Defense’s weekly press briefing, MoND sources gave the following answer to journalists’ questions on the subject:

“It was announced by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 8, 2024, that two large marine parks would be declared in the Aegean and Ionian Seas. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken the necessary diplomatic initiatives regarding the parks planned to be declared, and has stated that unilateral de facto situations regarding EGAYDAAK (islands, islets, and rocks whose sovereignty has not been transferred to Greece) will not be accepted and will not produce any legal consequences. As a Ministry, we are on alert to protect our rights, interests, and relations in the Aegean Sea and to prevent Greece’s efforts to create a unilateral status.”

IS THIS HOW A STATE IS MANAGED?

The deed is done... Our officials are still saying, “we will not allow it, we are on alert.” No, I am not drawing attention to the fact that these words are empty bravado, but to another issue.

Do you know who attended the “Our Ocean Conference,” which our government and our Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Defense took onto their agenda and reacted to, as an official guest of the Greek government?

Patriarch Bartholomew, a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, who is the head of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople—which was allowed to remain in Istanbul on the condition that it would not deal with political affairs and would only meet the religious needs of our Greek Orthodox citizens in Istanbul, Bozcaada, and Gökçeada according to the Treaty of Lausanne, and was first attached to the Eyüp and later the Fatih District Governorship—also attended.

He did not just attend; he gave a speech at this conference where he was hosted as an “Ecumenical Patriarch,” contrary to Lausanne. Afterwards, in a private meeting with Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis, he discussed “current religious and general issues.”

Patriarch Bartholomew’s four-day “official visit” was not limited to the conference. He met with numerous Greek officials, primarily the Minister of Education and Religious Affairs, and participated in various events.

What is more tragicomic is that our Consul General in Athens, Mustafa Somuncu, also attended one of the other events where Bartholomew, who went to Athens for the conference that Turkey supposedly reacted to, made an appearance.

Now let us move on to our questions:

While Ankara was challenging Athens so fiercely, did it not know that its own citizen, Patriarch Bartholomew, would attend the “Our Ocean Conference”?!

Let us assume that Bartholomew went to Athens without needing permission, based on Erdoğan’s 2017 words: “I will go even further. For example, if the Patriarch wanted to go abroad, he could have gone with the permission of the Eyüp District Governorship according to Lausanne. We paved the way for this.” Well, did Ankara not even hear that he attended that conference and gave a speech?!

Surely they must have, right? If so, while reacting to Greece like this, was any warning given to Bartholomew, who violated Lausanne for the umpteenth time, at least this time?!

In short; there is no such state management... And if there is, neither Greece nor anyone else takes the Republic of Turkey seriously!..

Erdoğan must not have taken the event, which the ministries and their spokesperson reacted to, seriously either, as he was able to say the following after Friday prayers last week regarding Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis’s visit to Turkey in May:

“Mr. Mitsotakis’s visit is a kind of return visit. And I can say that this return visit is an important milestone in Turkey-Greece relations. And regarding this important milestone, we will have the opportunity to discuss how we can move Turkey-Greece relations to a much better position.”

Have a fruitful visit!.. Fruitful milestones!.. Fruitful positions!..

Müyesser YILDIZ

April 22, 2024