“Turkey is making an important contribution to the security of Europe. The southern borders of Europe do not begin with Greece. The southern borders of Europe and NATO start from Turkey,” the Turkish Foreign Minister said. Mevlut Cavusogluin a speech at the 8th International Conference in Rome on the Mediterranean.

According to Kathimerini and SKAI correspondent Manolis Kostidis, Mr. Tsavusoglu said that “in the fight against terrorism Turkey plays an important role. We are the only NATO member that is actively fighting ISIS.”

The Turkish defense minister has accused Greece and other Mediterranean countries of “mobilizing” what he calls Turkey. “Why did Turkey mobilize? Because the other side, other Mediterranean countries, ignored Turkey and the rights of the TRNC. We call for a fair and equal distribution, just as the citizens of TRBK believe in equal distribution,” he said.

“If you look at the maps, in Turkey they try not to leave anything. In the field and at the table, we mobilized and made a record of our continental shelf, in front of the UN and called on the rest, telling everyone to meet and discuss how an equal distribution can be made,” the Turkish defense minister continued.

He concluded by pointing his arrows once more at Greece, stating that Athens was the cause of the problem: “Our differences with the neighboring country, Greece, we are trying to resolve through peaceful processes and diplomacy. But it takes two to tango. Greece must think in the same way as the Greek Cypriots must support a fair distribution,” said Mr. Tsavusoglu.