Turkey will make "no concessions" to defend its gas interests in the eastern Mediterranean, President Erdogan said on Wednesday, calling on Greece to refrain from making any "mistake" that would lead to its "ruin". At the same time, France warned that the eastern Mediterranean could not be "a playground" for national "ambitions".

"Turkey will take what is rightfully its own in the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean (...) We will make absolutely no concessions on what belongs to us", declared Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a martial speech. "For this, we are determined to do whatever is necessary politically, economically and militarily", he added. These statements come amid escalating tensions between Ankara and Athens in the eastern Mediterranean, where the discovery of large gas fields in recent years has aggravated long-standing disputes between these two neighboring countries over their maritime borders.

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"Turkey is no longer a country whose patience, determination, means and courage can be tested"

Turkey has deployed since August 10 a seismic research vessel accompanied by a military escort in an area claimed by Athens, provoking the ire of Greece which has also deployed buildings in the region. "We invite our interlocutors to (...) beware of any error which would open the way to their ruin," said Mr. Erdogan, in an allusion to Greece which he did not however name.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan's vitriolic speech comes the day after a trip to Athens and Ankara by German diplomat Heiko Maas, whose country is trying to ease tensions through mediation. Ankara is ready for dialogue, but only if Athens does not lay down any "preconditions", Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu said on Tuesday. On the ground, the situation seems explosive, Ankara and Athens, two NATO members with historically delicate relations, who carried out rival naval maneuvers on Tuesday.

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"Respect for international law must be the rule and not the exception", says France

Greece, France, Italy and Cyprus are also due to conduct a joint military exercise in the eastern Mediterranean, southern Crete and Cyprus from Wednesday to Friday. France, which supports Greece in the dispute, said on Wednesday that the Mediterranean should not be "a playground" for "the ambitions of some". "Respect for international law must be the rule and not the exception," said Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly. "Our message is simple: priority to dialogue, cooperation and diplomacy so that the Eastern Mediterranean becomes an area of ​​stability and respect for international law", she insisted.

The eastern Mediterranean is turning into a space of tension. Respect for international law must be the rule and not the exception. With our Cypriot, Greek and Italian partners we are starting a military exercise today with air and sea resources

- Florence Parly (@florence_parly) August 26, 2020

Blaming Athens for wanting to rally the European Union against Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan displayed an air of defiance on Wednesday. "Turkey is no longer a country whose patience, determination, means and courage can be tested (...) Those who want to oppose us and who are ready to pay the price, let them do it. If not, let them get out of our way, "he said.