The Turkish Minister of Defence Hulusi Akar said on Tuesday that Ankara was determined to protect its rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean.

Akar said that they aimed to transform the Aegean and the Mediterranean to a sea of friendship and to fairly share resources in the area.

Speaking during an event held within the framework of Veteran’s Day, the Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar complained that Greece continued to carry out provocative actions and deploy aggressive tactics in the Aegean and Mediterranean.

“Greece is clearly displaying bad neighbourly relations with its provocative actions and statements, continuing to pursue aggressive policies,” Akar said.

Referring to the construction of a so-called genocide monument on İstanköy island in Greece, the Turkish defence minister reminded that Greece and the Greek Cypriots had carried out atrocities against Turks in Anatolia and Cyprus.

“If they’re seeking examples of genocide they should look in the mirror,” he said.

Akar said that they will spare no effort to protect Türkiye’s and the Turkish Cypriots’ rights in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean.

He also said that Ankara’s goal was to transform the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean into a sea of friendship and to enable the fair distribution of the region’s resources.