Antalya, Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday called for an end to “maximalist approaches” that seek to exclude Turkey and Turkish Cypriots in the eastern Mediterranean, speaking at the Antalya diplomacy forum. He also urged an end to what he described as efforts to create a “climate of war,” saying he wanted the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean to be areas of stability and prosperity.
Comments on Cyprus and regional stability
Erdogan said the “resolute stance” of Turkish Cypriots had shown, in his words, that there are “two separate peoples and two separate states” on the island of Cyprus.
Greece ties and western Thrace minority issue
Erdogan said the “positive atmosphere” established with Greece should contribute to resolving bilateral issues and to ending what he described as human rights violations against the Turkish minority in western Thrace.
The issue of the Turkish minority in western Thrace has been a point of contention between Greece and Turkey in recent weeks, with the Greek government maintaining that the minority’s rights are being respected.
Dispute over appointment of muftis
The dispute focuses on the appointment of religious leaders known as muftis. Turkey has complained that Greece has not allowed the direct election of muftis, citing the 1913 Treaty of Athens. Greece argues that the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne supersedes that provision and does not require elections.
Greece also says that because muftis in western Thrace have “judicial and administrative responsibilities,” direct elections would not be possible. Athens appoints muftis based on recommendations from a committee of local residents for the areas they serve.
Meeting with Tufan Erhurman and military deployments
Erdogan met Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on Thursday ahead of the start of the forum, according to Turkey’s presidential communications directorate. The directorate said Erdogan stated that “the military units sent to the island from some European countries under the pretext of the war in Iran need to not be permanent.”
After Cyprus was hit by an Iranian-made drone last month, Greece, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the United Kingdom deployed naval or aerial assets to the island and its vicinity.
Erhurman was joined at the meeting by his undersecretary Mehmet Dana and his chief of staff Mustafa Erguven, while Erdogan was joined by Turkey’s National intelligence organisation (Mit) chief Ibrahim Kalin.
What do you think the Antalya diplomacy forum discussions could mean for tensions in the eastern Mediterranean?
