Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, on Monday, criticized the Greek Cypriot administration, claiming that South Cyprus and the Greek islands had become operational centres “used by certain countries” against Gaza.
In an interview with the Turkish channel Habertürk, Fidan said that the risk of an expanded conflict in the region was grave.
“As long as Israel’s genocide continues, this danger will continue, [as] we have emphasised from the start […] at [this] moment when Lebanon comes to the fore, factors in Lebanon threaten the Greek Cypriot administration of southern Cyprus. [They are] the forerunners,” he said.
Fidan urged South Cyprus, as well as Greece, to “stay away” from being used as hubs for technical and military aid to Israel.
“The Greek Cypriot administration has turned into an operational base used by certain countries […] against Gaza,” Fidan said, claiming that intelligence-gathering and military flights from the island to Gaza were ongoing.
The use of the base [understood to be the Akrotiri RAF base] purportedly as a “logistical” centre hides the fact that the operations are military in nature, Fidan further claimed.
He warned that expansion of military activity to South Cyprus and Greece would lead to Türkiye being drawn in.
“The fact that this place and the Greek islands are used for operations in the Middle East, will not benefit either the Greek Cypriot administration or Greece. Our advice […] is to stay away from these issues, because when you get involved […] in the ongoing wars in the Middle East if you become part of them, the fire will come and find you. And we’re in the same geography, so the fire will come and find us too,” Fidan said.
“All regional [actors] must recognise that there is intense militarisation in the area,” he noted.
