Türkiye warns against ‘fait accompli’ on status of Aegean islands

ANKARA

Türkiye on March 5 warned against attempts to undermine the demilitarized status of Aegean islands, saying it would not allow any “fait accompli” that contradicts international agreements governing the islands.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said recent remarks and claims regarding the status of the islands were “unserious, unfortunate and ill-timed,” stressing that their legal framework is clearly defined under international treaties.

In a statement posted on social media, Keçeli said the objective legal status of the Eastern Aegean islands and the Dodecanese — placed under demilitarized status by the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty — is not open to debate.

“Certain circles that habitually make unfounded claims for domestic political motives and spread disinformation against our country should know that we will not allow faits accomplis,” Keçeli said, calling on them to act with common sense.

The statement came amid renewed discussion over the demilitarized status of islands in the Aegean Sea, a long-standing point of dispute between Türkiye and Greece. Ankara argues that several islands were granted demilitarized status under international treaties and that actions contradicting this framework violate international law.

Keçeli reiterated that any unilateral steps or narratives that attempt to challenge the established legal framework of the islands would have no validity for Türkiye.