Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is increasingly becoming a prisoner of his rhetoric.

It is not new that he is threatening Greece to “come in the middle of the night”.

What is new, however, is that he not only speaks in front of his home audience, but on the big international stage.

Rainer Herman

Editor in Politics.

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Addressing Greece on Thursday at the founding summit of the European Political Community in Prague, he said: "Whatever country bothers us, whichever country attacks us, our reaction will always be to say: We could undoubtedly come in the middle of the night."

The last time he threatened in that tone was a month ago.

He repeatedly accused Greece of violating obligations under international law by militarizing islands in the Aegean.

Turkey will therefore do “what is necessary when the time comes.

We can come suddenly one night," he said at the time.

Both sides unyielding

The latest round of high tensions between the eastern Mediterranean neighbors began in late August when Turkey allowed a drillship to sail, which, contrary to fears, did not explore for gas in disputed areas but near the Turkish coast.

In the days that followed, however, Athens and Ankara accused each other of violating each other's airspace.

The incidents occurred during Turkish celebrations commemorating Ataturk's decisive battle in the Greek Independence War a hundred years ago.

Erdogan concluded this two-week round of escalation by threatening Turkey to occupy Aegean islands "at night".

Turkey accuses Greece of violating the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Treaty of Paris by militarizing Aegean islands, which Athens denies.

The Treaty of Lausanne states that no "naval bases or fortifications" may be built on five islands in the north Aegean belonging to Greece.

Photos are published in the Turkish media showing how Greek warships bring tanks to the islands of Lesvos.

Greece counters that the treaty does not prohibit the stationing of a "regular contingent" of troops.

The Treaty of Paris between Greece and Italy from 1947, with which Italy ceded the southern Dodecanese islands to Greece, is also interpreted differently.

The agreement stipulates that the islands must be demilitarized.

Ankara relies on this.

Athens counters that Turkey is not a contractual partner.

Both sides are also unyielding because elections will be held in both countries next year.

In Turkey, the partner of the ruling AKP, the leader of the right-wing nationalist MHP, Devlet Bahceli, added fuel to the fire in July when he showed a map showing the disputed islands as Turkish territory.

Meanwhile, the Greek military has begun to build up its defense capabilities with American and Israeli support.