[ad_1]
The tone between NATO partners Greece and Turkey is sharpening. Greece’s energy minister, Kostis Chatzidakis, reproached Turkey for following 19th century policy with threats of war. “Megalomania and self-importance on the other side of the Aegean are a bad advisor,” Chatzidakis told the Skai news channel.
The Turkish government had openly threatened Greece with military consequences if it expanded its territorial waters in the Aegean. “If that’s not a reason for war, what else?” Vice President Fuat Oktay quoted the state Anadolu news agency as saying.
The Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, had announced that the Greek sovereign zone in the Ionian Sea, opposite Italy, would be extended from 6 to 12 nautical miles. Until now, Greek governments had refrained from expanding territorial waters in the Ionian Sea, not least because then they would have to justify why this was not happening in the Aegean.
In Athens, however, it is clear what such a passage in the Aegean could mean. “At this time, Greece will definitely not expand its territorial waters in the Aegean,” SPIEGEL learned from Greek diplomatic circles.
There are believed to be large natural gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey is exploring underground in marine areas claimed by Cyprus or Greece. The Greek and Turkish armed forces are conducting exercises in the region. The conflict has a long history. In 1995, the Turkish parliament declared an expansion of Greek territorial waters in the Aegean as a “reason for war”.
In the context of the current tensions, Turkey launched a new military maneuver in the eastern Mediterranean on Saturday. In a statement issued Friday night, the Turkish Navy announced “target drills” in an area between the southern Turkish city of Anamur and northern Cyprus, which should last until September 11. Turkey had already announced target practice in an area further east for next week. Now the country has started another military maneuver.
Relations between Greece and Turkey have visibly deteriorated in recent weeks. One of the reasons for this was the dispatch of the Turkish exploration ship “Oruc Reis” to a maritime zone claimed by Greece almost three weeks ago. The crew of the “Oruc Reis” looks for natural gas there. According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, Turkish fighter jets intercepted six Greek planes en route to the Mediterranean area where the ship is sailing on Thursday, forcing them to retreat.
The EU threatens more sanctions
Greece’s national defense agency HNDS said on Friday that Turkish fighter jets broke into a flying zone monitored by Greece. The incident occurred when four Greek F-16 jets were escorting a US fighter jet. According to the information, this belonged to the “Allied Sky” mission, in which American warplanes traverse the 30 NATO countries in Europe and North America to demonstrate the solidarity of the allied states, which include both Greece like Turkey.
Greece condemned the entry of Turkish planes as “provocative”. It is said that they were ejected from Greek airspace by Greek fighter jets.
Due to Turkish test drilling in the sea area claimed by Greece, the European Union threatened further sanctions against Ankara on Friday. At the same time, she insisted on resolving the gas dispute in direct talks between Greece and Turkey. The EU has already imposed sanctions on Turkey for its gas drilling operations. In July last year, EU foreign ministers initially decided to cut EU funding for Turkey and suspend high-level contacts and negotiations on an air transport agreement.
