The article in Greek Language

The article in Turkish language

Leonidas Koumakis*

Within the framework of the eternal predatory policy followed by modern Turkey and regardless of which shade of Young Turks whether Islamist or Pan-Turkism is in power each time – the orientation and goals against Hellenism do not change.

Emergencies may necessitate taking a few “steps back” comfortably replacing daily insults and provocations with sweet words of (supposed) friendship and cooperation – just as has been the case since the devastating earthquakes of February 6, 2023 and the intensifying collapse of the Turkish economy.  

Thus, even after the upcoming elections – alla Turca – in the Turkish manner – that have been scheduled for May 14, 2023, Turkey’s long-term strategy towards Hellenism will not change in any way.

If, as is most likely, Recep Tayyip Erdogan is defeated in the elections but refuses to hand over power, he will declare himself the winner through the appointed and controlled members of the Supreme Electoral Council (Yüksek Seçim Kurulu – YSK) which will necessarily “legitimize” the rigged result presented by the Ankara palace, and a period of great internal turmoil within the Republic of Turkey is inevitable.

In such a case, any such reactions to the election will be met with intensified repression and even greater authoritarianism. The Islamist, fascist and mafia regime will wait patiently for the crisis to abate before fully returning to familiar policies, as soon as it considers that the internal situation has stabilized.

But even in the much less likely event that the regime of Islamists, fascists and the Turkish mafia collapses and the united (in words only) opposition takes power, the orientation and goals of Turkey against Hellenism will not change.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who heads the opposition parties, has provided his beliefs on this issue many times in the past:

In December 2017, he claimed that the “18 islands are occupied by Greek soldiers” in the Habertürk newspaper (of the Ciner Group). In fact, when the then Greek Minister of National Defense replied “Molon labe” (Come and take them), he came back with provocation, saying that “In 2019 I will come to power and take them, as Ecevit took Cyprus”, as if he was stealing chickens from unsuspecting farmers!

In March 2018, the Sözcü newspaper (the Republican People’s Party’s media organ) arbitrarily multiplied the number of islands supposedly disputed, writing with headlines: “…156 islands and rocky islets belonging to Turkey and their militarization (by Greece) is not right.”

In June 2018, in a speech to his party’s parliamentary group (CHP), Mr. Kemal pointedly asked: “Why doesn’t the government make a fuss about the 16 occupied Aegean islands?” deliberately and continuously changing the number of Greek islands and rocky islets in the Aegean that are supposedly “occupied” in order to maintain a nebulous vagueness. 

In January 2020, in an interview with Haber Global (Global Media Group), Mr. Kemal blamed Erdogan for his decision to send troops to Libya and went on a rant of gibberish against Greece, saying: “There are islands in the Aegean, right? According to the Treaty of Lausanne, these islands must be cleared of weapons. No country has the right to have armed forces on these islands. Are there Greek soldiers on the Greek islands? Yes. Are the islands that belong to us occupied? Yes, they are. Where is this national hero? Where is this world leader? Where is this man? He is the only person because of whom Turkey will lose the Blue Homeland.”

In June 2022, commenting on Erdogan’s “…we will suddenly come one night”, Mr. Kemal accused the Turkish president of complacency towards Greece, claiming that “he is behaving like a tough guy to Greece” but “for the islands under occupation he is doing nothing”.

In September 2022, Mr. Kemal dismissed the threats to Greece made by R. T. Erdogan who had stated that we (Turks) will come one night suddenly by stating: “We are not like those who say they will come at dawn. But what did Ecevit do? The army landed and he went to his office and announced that we were in Cyprus. And it was over. The islands are occupied. Now that the economy is a mess and people are impoverished, they keep saying they will come one night. What are they waiting for? An invitation? If they have the courage and strength, let them go!”

Of course, it is convenient for Mr. Kemal to brag falsely about the alleged feat of landing in Cyprus, since it is certain that he knows very well that without the huge and motivating support of the British, the Americans and some others, they could not land in Cyprus, nor even go to the toilet of their own home!

So, whether R. T. Erdogan remains in power or Mr. Kemal manages the highly unlikely demolition of the regime of Islamists, fascists and mafia that controls Turkish power, Greek-Turkish relations will sooner or later return to the levels of tension of the period March 2020 – January 2023.

This is because in order for relations between Greece and Cyprus with Turkey to have a real and substantial basis for long-term improvement, some steps should be taken which, given the long-standing predatory policy applied by the Republic of Turkey from its foundation until today, even R. T. Erdogan does not want or cannot implement.  Nor can Mr. Kemal. Only some of the necessary steps such as the ones following should be taken:

Turkey signs the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which most countries in the world have signed and whose provisions Turkey already applies on its maritime borders in both the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

Turkey lifts the casus belli against Greece, which it has maintained since 1995 as an international advocate, against the United Nations Charter and any legal concept of good neighborliness.

Turkey solemnly declares its full respect for Articles 6, 12 and 16 of the Treaty of Lausanne, according to which Turkey was awarded the  islands, islets, rocky islets located within three miles of the Turkish coast as well as the islands of Imbros and Tenedos.  Anything beyond this distance expressly does not belong to Turkey nor is it entitled to have any say in who they belong to.

Turkey recognizes the Republic of Cyprus, as it is obliged to do as agreed in the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, putting an end to the impasse of the Republic of Turkey of not recognizing a country recognized by almost all countries in the world and of recognizing by itself, a straw man formation not recognized by any other country in the world (occupied north Cyprus).

Turkey withdraws its army of  occupation and the settlers it has installed in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, honor its signature as guarantor and not as a conqueror of the victimized island and not interfere  by its cheap bullying in the exploitation of Cyprus’ energy resources, allowing for the benefit of all its inhabitants, Christian or Muslim without exception and with full implementation of the acquis communautaire (Accumulated body of European law).

Turkey finally ceases to demand from others what it despises and ends the practice of selectively invoking what it thinks is convenient for it by the Treaty of Lausanne or other International Treaties while it itself humiliates these treaties over time – even until today!

CONCLUSION

One day, the leaders of modern Turkey will have to realize that the world has changed and that fantasies of rebuilding a neo-Ottoman empire in the 21st century are reminiscent of the proverb – “Whatever the old woman had in her mind, she saw in her dream.” In fact, Turkey is ranked among the most untrustworthy countries in the world despite its very important geostrategic position.

On the contrary, today’s Turkey could well take a prominent place in modern democracies as a peaceful country as long as it operates with respect for international law, individual rights, the separation of powers and, above all, the independence of the judiciary, good management and popular sovereignty.

Turkey’s politicians – and especially Mr. Kemal – would do well to remember all this, realizing that the days when Ecevit created “feats” on the backs of those whom Turkey today considers “enemies” are long gone.

It would be beneficial, if and when Mr. Kemal manages the extremely unlikely demolition of the regime of Islamists, fascists and mafia that controls Turkish power, to deal with the problems of a Turkey that, as he said, (December 12, 2022) has turned into a “mafia movie set”.

The bullying of those who utter such things as “Sit wisely and we will not hit you with missiles” (R.T. Erdogan, January 2023) or “We do not allow expansion of Greece’s territorial waters even a mile” (Çavuşoğlu, December 2022) instead of causing “fear”, are strongly reminiscent of someone who frantically bangs his head against the wall hoping to break the wall and not his own head… 

Translated by Prof. Ellene (Eleni) Phufas-Jousma

*Leonidas Koumakis: Lawyer, Writer, Columnist-Analyst, member of the International Hellenic Association. His timeless autobiographical book, The Miracle-A True Life Story, which refers to the methodical extermination of the Greek population of Constantinople by the Turkish state, is available completely free of charge in the IHA electronic library, both in Greek and English.