Turkish Defence Minister General Hulusi Akar launched a series of new threats against Greece, warning his country would take all the necessary steps to secure Turkish interests in the eastern Mediterranean region.

In an interview with state-run Anadolu News Agency, Akar said that no plan in the eastern Mediterranean was feasible without the involvement of Turkey and the pseudo-state of Cyprus in the north.

His statements come on the heels of a heated back and forth between the Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministries after the decision by the Greek state to extend its territorial waters in the west to 12 nautical miles, a move that prompted a response by Turkey who saw it as a threat on her western borders.

Meanwhile, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reports that Greece back peddled on the issue claiming PM Alexis Tsipras froze the procedure of the coastal zone extension announced by outgoing Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias last week.

“Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras suspended the presidential decrees on the issue of extending the territorial waters and decided to draft a law instead, which will be discussed in parliament and will consult with the political parties. This decision means suspending the 12 miles at this stage, ” reports Hurriyet.

#BREAKING Turkey to take necessary measures if a decision is taken contrary to its rights, interests in Aegean Sea, Defense Minister says — ANADOLU AGENCY (ENG) (@anadoluagency) October 24, 2018