Director of Communications Altun: “We expect your organisation to take necessary measures in order to prevent a similar mistake from being made in the future and to refrain from taking any steps that could challenge our country’s territorial integrity as well as an apology regarding yesterday’s events.”
Presidency’s Director of Communications Fahrettin Altun issued a warning letter to the US television channel CBS News, which carried out disinformation by portraying Istanbul as Greek territory in a news report on the Russia-Ukraine war.
Taking action upon CBS News identified İstanbul as part of Greece in a report about the passage of Russian warships through the Straits, Director of Communications Altun issued a warning letter, demanding that the mistake be rectified promptly, and all relevant explanations be provided.
In his letter, Director of Communications said:
“It has come to my attention that CBS News has falsely identified İstanbul-Türkiye’s largest city, which has been part of our nation’s sovereign territory since 1453- as part of Greece in a recent report about the passage of Russian warships through the Straits. Keeping in mind that Greece has been jeopardising regional security and undermining NATO’s eastern flank by making maximalist demands over the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea, we hereby protest your organisation’s misrepresentation of Türkiye’s borders- which we hope, was an honest mistake- officially and unequivocally. We expect your organisation to take necessary measures in order to prevent a similar mistake from being made in the future and to refrain from taking any steps that could challenge our county’s territorial integrity as well as an apology regarding yesterday’s events.”