Emmanuel Macron on Thursday ordered French troops in the eastern Mediterranean, where tensions have risen between Greece and Turkey over disputed waters.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warmly welcomed the move, tweeting on Thursday that Macron “was a true friend of Greece and also a fierce protector of European values and international law.”
This photo provided by the Greek National Defense, a French Tonnerre helicopter carrier, is being escorted from behind by Greek and French military ships during a maritime exercise in the eastern Mediterranean, Thursday 13 August 2020.
(Greek national defense via AP)
Meanwhile, Turkey accused Greece and the island nation of Cyprus of violating their rights in the Mediterranean and promising to defend their interests in the region – but also called for dialogue to resolve the dispute.
Turkey recently deployed a seismic research vessel, accompanied by warships, in waters between Crete and Cyprus to search for offshore gas and oil.
Greece claims that part of the area occupies its continental shelf and has demanded that Turkish ships retreat. Turkey has taken the position that it has the right to conduct research there. Greece alerted its military and sent warships to the area off the southern coast of Turkey.
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In Ankara, and later in talks with European officials, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated a call for dialogue and negotiation to reach a win-win situation for all three countries that have the rights of each state at sea. retain.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed his party members in Ankara, Turkey, on Thursday, August 13, 2020.
(Turkish Presidency via AP)
“We have no plans for anyone’s rights, but we will not leave any country taking away our rights,” Erdrogan said.
He also accused France of taking provocations from Greece and Cyprus in wrong steps.
Macron announced last Wednesday that he decided to “temporarily strengthen” the French military presence in the eastern Mediterranean “in the coming days, in cooperation with European partners including Greece.”
France, a NATO and European Union ally with Greece, is the EU’s largest military power. Complicating matters, Turkey – Greece’s historical regional rival – is also a NATO member but has poor relations with France.
In a televised statement on Wednesday, Mitsotakis warned of the ‘risk of an accident’ in the patch of sea where the Greek and Turkish warships are gathered.
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“In such a case, the responsibility lies with those who give rise to these circumstances,” he said. He added that Greece was not opposed to “even the most difficult dialogue”, but that “dialogue is becoming irrelevant in a climate of tension and provocation.”
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The Greek prime minister promised not to escalate the standoff at sea, but remained unusual.
“Yet self-control is only one aspect of our power,” Mitsotakis said. “No provocation will … go answer.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
