Official: Turkiye will raise Aegean islands' sovereignty issue if Greece does not stop arming them

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay has warned that if Greece does not stop arming the Aegean islands, the islands’ sovereignty issue will be raised for discussion within the framework of international law and agreements.

This came during a joint press conference held yesterday with Ersin Tatar, president of Northern Cyprus, in the capital, Lefkosa. Oktay explained that the statements of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis a week ago about Cyprus and the Aegean islands are a clear violation of international agreements.

He stressed that Turkiye attaches great importance to the stability of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the strengthening of all its institutions and organisations.

Erdogan warns Greece to cease arming Aegean islands or face results ‘it will regret’

The Turkish official added that Turkish Cypriots have been a major component of the island for hundreds of years. He added that they have clearly demonstrated their will for the two-state solution, and their support for President Tatar.

Oktay denounced the international community’s position as “biased” towards the Greek Cypriot side. He also stressed that Turkiye will continue to play its role in supporting and developing Northern Cyprus in the political, social and economic fields.

Since 1974, Cyprus has been divided into two parts. The northern part is supported by Turkiye while the southern part is supported by Greece. In 2004 the Greek Cypriots rejected a plan presented by the United Nations to unify the two parts of the island. Since the collapse of the UN-sponsored Cyprus reunification talks in Switzerland in July 2017, no formal UN-brokered negotiations have taken place to settle the dispute.