Ankara, Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday criticised the Greek Cypriot leadership in remarks to lawmakers from his AK Party, accusing it of aligning with Israel and warning of a harsh response if the rights of Turkey or Turkish Cypriots are threatened in the eastern Mediterranean.
Erdogan’s remarks
Addressing MPs from his AK Party, Erdogan said there was an attempt to stir discord in the Mediterranean, particularly on the island of Cyprus, and said Turkey was closely monitoring developments.
He said that “some small entities, whose ambitions far exceed their size, have boarded Israel’s ship of discord, undertaking the role of subcontractors for Zionism”.
Erdogan added that those actors were “supposedly pursuing some pipe dreams” in the region.
He said, “I state very clearly: no one should pursue such an adventure. No one should follow the trail of the Zionist network of murderers. If the rights and laws of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots are threatened in the eastern Mediterranean, I want it to be known that our response will be very harsh.”
Comments on Israel and regional security
Erdogan said Israel had become “emboldened by the international community’s silence” and was “acting with extreme arrogance, hindering our region from achieving overall peace, tranquillity, and security”.
He said, “Bringing Israel back within the bounds of the rule of law is no longer just a matter for certain countries, but a shared concern for humanity. The attacks on Iran and Lebanon have had a negative impact not only on countries of the region, but also on a global scale.”
He added that “Israel’s aggressive stance is a threat to our region” and drew parallels between the actions of the modern State of Israel and the course charted by Nazi Germany.
Regional energy meeting
Erdogan’s comments came ahead of a meeting in Houston, Texas, on Thursday involving the energy ministers of Cyprus, Israel, Greece and the United States.
Cypriot Energy Minister Michael Damianos said the aim of the meeting was to “deepen cooperation and formulate specific next steps”.
He said those next steps would include the creation of an “Eastern Mediterranean energy centre”, which he said would provide “significant technocratic support” for energy projects and infrastructure issues.
Previously, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel praised the “alliance of stability” her country has formed with Greece and Cyprus.