Greece’s migrant pushbacks ‘unlawful’
Turkish officials lashed out at Greece’s deadly treatment of migrants and refugees attempting to cross into Europe to find safe shelter. Ankara also called for the international community to find a solution to stop human trafficking in the Aegean Sea
FED UP with Greece’s mistreatment of the refugees, Turkish authorities draw attention to the issue by highlighting the importance of the non-refoulement principle in dealing with the migrant crisis and accused Greek forces of violating it repeatedly.
The latest comment on the issue came from Turkey’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yavuz Selim Kıran yesterday as he criticized Athens
and others for openly violating the nonrefoulement principle, as he said over 80,000 migrants and refugees have been pushed back by Greece in the past three years.
Speaking at a panel held by the Justice Academy of Turkey titled “Human Trafficking and Refugee Laws,” Kıran said Turkey has always embraced oppressed people fleeing conflicts. Kıran highlighted that more international cooperation is necessary to ensure that refugees live in humane conditions.
“Unfortunately, some countries do not refrain from violating the basic principles of international law,” Kıran said, adding that Greece has been openly violating the non-refoulment principle by pushing migrants back to Turkey.
He continued by noting that Turkey has shared footage and documents proving Greece’s pushbacks with global institutions and the European Union (EU), as he said all countries are obliged to abide by international law and human rights accords.
“We need to develop an effective cooperation model to ensure that refugee laws are being properly implemented in our region and to fight human trafficking,” Kıran said, adding that cooperation was also necessary to make sure that the issue is kept on the agenda of international organizations. Noting that the meeting is being held on the 70th anniversary of the 1951 Geneva Convention on refugees, Kıran said there are over 280 million migrants, 46 million displaced people and 30 million refugees worldwide, as people are forced to leave their homes as a result of war, famine and poverty in countries like Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Eritrea. He noted that the number of Syrian children born in Turkey has surpassed 600,000, and Turkey has provided assistance to a total of 9 million refugees and displaced Syrians.
FOUR F-16 fighter jets belonging to the Greek Air Force harrassed Turkey’s TCG Çeşme research vessel while on duty conducting a hydrographic scientific and technical survey in international waters in the northern Aegean, Turkish Defense Ministry sources said yesterday.
The vessel, which is scheduled to continue its works in the region until March 2, was targeted by Greek fighter jets near the island of Lemnos in the northern part of the Aegean Sea.
One of four Greek fighter jets harassed the Turkish research vessel dropping a chaff cartridge 2 nautical miles (3.7 nautical kilometers) away. Necessary retaliation was carried out in response to the Greek fighter jets flying over the Turkish vessel at an altitude of 1,000 meters (3,280 feet), sources added.
Commenting on the incident, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar also said it was another type of harassment that Turkey used to see from its Greek neighbors and added that the necessary legitimate response was given.
“On this issue, our attitude, decision and work we will do are certain. No one should doubt it,” he also said.
Turkey’s Defense Ministry recently stated that Greece has continued its provocative rhetoric and uncompromising stance since exploratory talks were held in January, adding that Athens is misleading the international community with its remarks.
Greece last week protested Turkey’s deployment of the TCG Çeşme research vessel in what it called an “unnecessary” move. Athens said that although the ship was operating in international waters, the responsibility for issuing maritime advisories in that part of the Aegean fell to Greece. The ship’s activities do not include ocean floor research, which is “completely consistent with the 1976 Bern Agreement,” the sources from Ankara said, criticizing the remarks by the Greek side. The Turkish sources highlighted that Athens recently carried out similar activities.
The sources indicated that Greece’s statements asserting that Turkey is raising tensions do not reflect the truth and that Ankara “watches the remarks, which are obviously made to mislead the international community, with regret and astonishment.”