Turkey provocations continue: PM says 130 isles in Aegean in dispute

Yildirim warns Greece that Turkey has the power to act

Continuing the polemic rhetoric against Greece, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim warned Greece not to mistake the low key response by Turkey to the “provocations” by Greece as a weakness, according to newspaper Hurriyet. “We have the power to respond to any enemy act”, he threatened. Following escalating tensions between the two countries over the Imia isles, the Turkish PM referred to 130 rocky isles that were under dispute in the Aegean Sea. Mr. Yildirim effectively issued an indirect threat against Athens by saying “we [Turkey] respond with a smile to provocative actions from the other side. They [Greece] should not interpret this in the wrong way.” On the issue of the 8 Turkish military officers, whose extradition was blocked by Greek justice despite Turkey’s request for them to be sent to face trial on treason charges, Mr. Yildirim said the development was “an annoying one.” “I have sent a letter Mr. Tsipras [Greek PM]. I express our expectations anew for their extradition via a re-examination of the verdict within the legal framework”, he said.