Concern is growing in Athens that relations between Greece and Turkey could be entering a new period of heightened tension following remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that directly referenced Kastellorizo and revived rhetoric recalling earlier warnings of a sudden crisis.
Speaking to journalists on his return from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Kyrgyzstan, Erdogan called on Athens to abandon the “wrong path” of arming the islands that are under a non-militarization status.
Asked how Ankara would react if Greece continued the same policy, he replied: “What must we do? What is our duty? To do whatever is necessary … If we raised our voice from our own side, let’s say from Kas (the Turkish town opposite Kastellorizo) toward Greece, they would hear it, wouldn’t they?”
Greek officials note that Erdogan’s comments echo language frequently used by Ankara before February 2023, including references to the possibility of action “one night,” a phrase that had become associated with periods of elevated friction between the two NATO allies.
The rhetoric comes as Turkey has also raised issues related to disputed islets, often described by Ankara as “gray zones,” as well as the demilitarization of islands in the eastern Aegean.
