Turkey is opposing Greek military planning in the Dodecanese islands, calling for an end to their militarization and warning that reported plans for an unmanned aerial vehicle base on Rhodes would damage peace and stability in the Aegean.
In a statement, Turkey’s Defense Ministry said Rhodes is subject to a demilitarized status under international treaties and argued that any move to establish a UAV base there would violate Greece’s obligations under international law.
The ministry said “any initiative” violating that status would be incompatible with those obligations.
It added that a possible UAV base on Rhodes “would amount to a violation of the island’s demilitarized status ... as well as good-neighborly relations.”
Greek Defense Ministry sources said there is no plan for a drone base on Rhodes.
