Erdogan’s security adviser accuses Egypt and Saudi Arabia of treason for participating in joint military exercises with Greece.
The bilateral LIVEX (Live Exercise) “Falcon Eye – 3” exercise between the Armed Forces of Greece and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, held at Souda Air Base in the 115th Fighter Wing, did not go unnoticed by the Turks.
In addition, the Medusa exercise, organized jointly by the Greek, Cypriot and Egyptian navies, to be held on November 19-25 off Alexandria, Egypt, does not escape their attention either.
The Turkish president’s adviser on security and foreign policy, Mesut Hakkı Caşın, said it was unacceptable for Egypt and Saudi Arabia to participate in military exercises with Greece, despite Erdogan’s warnings.
A former Air Force officer, Cashın also claimed that while the F-35 jets were not delivered to Turkey despite paying for them, the West is reportedly providing military support to Greece against Turkey in Cyprus, the Aegean islands and Alexandroupoli.
Cashın on Sunday attended the annual conference of the Islamic Union organized by the Center for Strategic Studies of the Association of Defenders of Justice (ASSAM), a “front” organization run by the private military contractor SADAT, which many believe is a de facto paramilitary force loyal to Erdogan.
Stating that the Islamic world must be united, Cashın said: “We should be angry with ourselves, not with the West, for this.”
“I am very sorry to say this, but despite the President expressing Turkey’s discomfort, Saudi F-15s have flown to Crete and participated in exercises with the Greeks. The Egyptian navy is conducting military maneuvers with the Greek navy. How come; This is unacceptable,” he said.
Recalling that the Egyptian army together with the Ottomans stopped the entire Crusader navy in the past, Cashın added that “what Saudi Arabia is doing now against the Turkish nation, which has been the standard bearer of Islam for 400 years is unacceptable.”
Recall that, in March 2021, Erdogan expressed his dismay at Saudi Arabia’s participation in a military exercise with Greece, stating that he would discuss Turkey’s concerns with the Saudi authorities.
For some time now, Turkey has been trying to mend uneasy relations with Egypt and Saudi Arabia, with which it has been on bad terms. Turkey has been in serious trouble with both because of its growing support for the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, which Erdogan sees as ideologically close to him.
Following the assassination of US resident and Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate General in Istanbul in 2018, Erdogan harshly criticized the Saudi regime, particularly targeting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).
There has also been an intensive campaign in the pro-government media against MBS, whom Erdogan has described as a “murderer with bloody hands”. In an attempt to embarrass MBS, the Turkish government shared the evidence gathered by Turkish intelligence with foreign media. Erdogan rejected Saudi Arabia’s request to share the data with them and claimed they would be destroyed if he did.
In response to Turkish propaganda, Riyadh unofficially boycotted Turkish goods, a move that caused Turkish companies to lose significant market share in the Gulf region.
However, when Erdogan’s harsh policy towards the two main Arab states led to Turkey’s isolation in the Islamic world, Turkey began negotiations to woo Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which demanded that Turkey take concrete steps to address their concerns. Turkey first asked television stations linked to the Muslim Brotherhood broadcasting from Istanbul to tone down their rhetoric.
Turkey later, in a move disappointing many in the international community, ended the Khashoggi assassination trial on April 7, 2022, saying the suspects were already on trial in Saudi Arabia.
Immediately following Turkey’s gesture, Erdogan paid an official visit to Saudi Arabia, meeting King Salman bin Abdulaziz and de facto ruler MBS on April 28. Claims by political observers that ending the Khashoggi case in Turkey was a condition for the re-establishment of relations between the two countries proved to be correct. MBS also returned the visit on June 22, receiving a warm welcome from Erdogan, who even drove him to the airport
In March 2021, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced that diplomatic negotiations with Egypt had begun without conditions. It was rumored by the Turkish media that the Egyptian delegation conveyed the message that it is in Turkey’s hands to ensure the progress of the talks, implying concrete steps by Turkey.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh, on October 30, told local media that talks with Turkey have been suspended due to the recent energy deal Turkey signed with Libya’s Government of National Unity, which Egypt does not recognize. Turkey and Egypt support two rival groups in Libya, which claim to represent the only legitimate government.
Nordic Monitor previously reported that Cashın said last December that the balance of power between Turkey and Greece had changed after Western military aid to Athens, adding that the job of the Turkish military has become more difficult. He also said that air superiority had passed to Greece after the purchase of new fighter jets.
