Devlet Bahceli, the nationalist far-right leader of the MIR and government partner of the Turkish president, Devlet Bahceli, appeared defiant, putting the Dodecanese squarely in his crosshairs. In remarks after his party’s parliamentary meeting, Bahceli said “there has been a usurpation of the Dodecanese, which were taken (by Turkey) with games”, adding that it is inconceivable “for Turkey to live without the Dodecanese”.

These extreme statements by Bahceli were made in response to reports in the Turkish press that refer to the installation of missile systems by Greece for the defense of its islands.

Bakhcheli, who also made specific references to the process of rapprochement with the Kurds, and to dealing with the PKK, said:“It is foolish to believe that the problems will end if we ignore them… Turkey is a very strong state. It has the courage and resilience to take decisive decisions on every chapter of problems and to intervene within its historical borders. The Dodecanese are not conceivable without Turkey. The equipment plans are a provocation to Turkey and drag the Aegean into a whirlpool of tensions. They have usurped the Dodecanese and taken them with games. For Turkey to live without the Dodecanese is a dream. The pursue of an aggressive policy by the opposite side of the Aegean has no benefit to any country.”

“Turkey will never abandon the Blue Homeland. Athens should watch its steps. The results of Greece’s actions will be heavy. There are no permanent friendships or hostilities between states. Nor have there been until today. We are entering a period in the world where one crisis ends and another begins. Our internal front must be balanced…”Erdogan’s partner added.

Bahceli even warned with a “new 1922” (Asia Minor Catastrophe), saying that he does not even need to explain what will happen if Greece follows the stance of the Western countries and comes out against Turkey, as happened in the 1920s. “I believe that with peace everyone will win. However, if we have to fight to win peace, that will be a wedding feast for us.”

Turkey “will never give up its sovereign rights in the Blue Homeland. And if someone relies on the language of weapons in the face of diplomacy, Turkey is not going to lose, just like it happened 103 years ago”.