Turkish official: "Greece must evacuate 9 islands and give them to Turkey"

Yalim stated: "The legal status of the islands in the northern part of the Aegean Sea was determined by the 1914 decision of the six Great Powers and the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923. According to them, Greece was given only the right to use ( that is, the right of occupation) of the islands of the North Aegean and not the right of sovereignty.

"The areas of sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction as well as the airspace of the islands of Thassos, Samothrace, Lemnos, Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, Psara and Agios Efstratios remained in Turkey. Also Article 13 of the Treaty of Lausanne did not decide the use of  the islands for military purposes.

"Greece began arming the islands in the eastern Aegean in the early 1960s. Turkey first protested the militarization of the islands on June 29, 1964. In the current situation, Greece has also militarized the nine [islands] which it was given. A Greek motorized brigade has been stationed in Chios.The territorial waters of Chios in which Greece conducts military exercises belong to Turkey.

"Greece is clearly violating the agreements by conducting military exercises in Turkish territorial waters. Greece is playing with fire. Greece, having placed an army in the islands of the North Aegean, has lost the right to use them. Greece must evacuate its citizens from the 9 islands and move its army inland and hand them over to Turkey ", according to tourkikanea.gr.