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Reuters
Two French Rafale hunters are temporarily based in Crete
France launches two Rafale fighter jets and a naval frigate in the eastern Mediterranean due to tensions between Greece and Turkey.
French President Emmanuel Macron has urged Turkey to stop oil and gas exploration in disputed waters in the area. A Turkish investigator launched such a mission on Monday, angry at Greece.
Mr Macron told Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis that the French military would monitor the situation.
The area is rich in inexhaustible energy.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the only solution in the Mediterranean dialogue was and that his country did not pursue adventure.
“If we act with common sense and common sense, we can find a win-win solution that meets everyone’s interests,” he said.
There are also tensions around Cyprus over rival reconnaissance rights. The Republic of Cyprus and Greece do not accept such rights for Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus in the region.
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The seismic research vessel Oruc Reis is on a two-week mission, says Turkey
France is also at loggerheads with Turkey over the crisis in Libya. Turkey has sent military support to the UN-recognized government in Tripoli, while France, Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates support the troops of Gen Khalifa Haftar. Russia and the UAE are the main arms suppliers to Gen Haftar.
France already has a helicopter carrier, Tonnerre, on its way to Beirut to help reduce the city’s suffering following the devastating August 4 explosion.
The French frigate La Fayette has been training with the Greek navy and remains in the area. The Rafale jets were in Cyprus for an exercise and are now moving to Souda, on the Greek island of Crete.
Mr Macron tweeted: “I have decided to temporarily strengthen the French military presence in the Mediterranean, in cooperation with Greece and other European partners.
“The situation in the eastern Mediterranean is worrying. Turkey’s unilateral decisions regarding oil exploration are provoking tensions. Those tensions must end, in order to allow a calm dialogue between countries that are neighbors and allies in NATO.”
