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A few days ago, the three-year lease of two Israeli Heron Mk-2 UAVs (photos) ended with the possibility of buying them at the end of the period. SHUTTERSTOCK
An underground diplomatic war that has spread to NATO also accompanies Turkey’s attempt to restore all of its revisionist positions in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, through overflights, irregular NAVTEX and overlaps of already compromised Greek maritime areas. , with the first “Storm ’20”, which according to the program would start today, however, like all exercises, has been suspended.
Perhaps the most dangerous practice is the publication of advertisements for underwater exercises (Subnotas) around Lemnos, Lesbos and Chios, in areas identical to those committed by the Navy (PN). At the same time, the Turkish delegation to NATO is blocking the promotion of surveillance of unmanned aerial vehicles like “Global Hawk” stationed in Sicily, without allowing the approval of airports, some of which pass through Greece. This reaction is directed to the memorandum signed between Athens and NATO, for the presentation of a “Global Hawk” flight plan that will enter the FIR Athens. As “K” is informed, this is not the first Turkish reaction. It was preceded by a letter of protest from the leader of the Turkish Armed Forces, Yasar Guler, to the top military commander in Europe for the memorandum between Greece and NATO.
The book
In Athens, there is an increasing militarization of Turkish positions. The most indicative example is the constant osmosis of the official foreign policy positions with the “hawks” of the Turkish Armed Forces (TED). Lieutenant Colonel of the Turkish Navy, Cihat Yaitsi, is an old acquaintance of Greek diplomats and soldiers. His latest book, entitled “The concept of EEZ in the form of questions and answers”, published by the Turkish Navy, has been found amidst events already imposed, such as the Turkish-Bolivian memorandum that delimits the continental shelf and the EEZ to the detriment from Greece. in the spotlight, as it promotes even more aggressive proposals.
According to information from “K”, the competent military technocrats undertook to make an analysis of everything that Mr. Yatsi supports, in order to be a tool for the interpretation of Turkish views by the Defense Ministries National and Foreign Affairs. The first and most troubling conclusion that these technocrats seem to reach is that Turkey does not have as its main objective to wage a “legal battle” with Greece, but to support and impose its revisionist strategy with arbitrariness and the creation of consummate events. but they will be surrounded by someone, even elemental, a cloak of legitimacy. Reading Yatsi’s book also provides answers to the way (original corrosive to international law) in which Ankara officials signed the agreement, which later became a memorandum between Ankara and Libya.
As the Greek technocrats observe, first of all, Mr. Yaitsi chooses to present the concept of the continental shelf as a geological phenomenon and not with the legal dimension of the term. For Athens, it is clear that this accusation has no legal precedent, as shown in the 1985 decisions in the case of the Libya-Malta Highlands case, in 1993 in the case of the maritime demarcation in the region between Greenland and Jan Meyen (Denmark -Norway). and Nicaragua-Honduras territorial and maritime dispute.
Another “modernization” of Mr. Yaitsi, which has been adopted by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, is the theory of “diagonal lines”, which allow Ankara and Libya to have sea zones to the detriment of the Greek islands.
Contradictions
In his attempt to justify his views, Mr. Yaitsi also falls into logical contradictions. While acknowledging that International Maritime Law provides marine and underwater areas to the islands, it points out that this law is not the same as that of the continent. Based on this distorted perspective, Turkey, with diagonal lines, has its own objects, not only with Libya, but with Egypt, Israel and Lebanon. For this reasoning to work, Mr. Yaitsi effectively “erased” the influence of the Dodecanese, Crete and the Republic of Cyprus from the map.
Mr. Gaitsi’s conclusion is that “the islands cannot have the same impact as the continent”, while quoting selected points from international jurisprudence, he concludes that “in the context of these decisions, it is obvious that the Greek islands are on the side opposite”. in the Aegean, as well as on the island of Megisti, located near the coast of Turkey, in the Eastern Mediterranean, they will not be able to have a continental shelf and an EEZ beyond their territorial waters. “
Armaments
One of the parameters of the deterioration of Greek-Turkish relations is the growing imbalance in defense investment. A few days ago, the three-year lease of two Israeli HERON Mk-2 UAVs was terminated with the possibility of buying them at the end of the period. Although these means are necessary, it is doubtful that they can satisfy all the needs of the Armed Forces. The Israelis are also interested in even closer cooperation with Greece, in various areas, such as the construction of warships, but the discussions are still at a very early stage. On the contrary, the channel with Paris remains open for the construction of “Belh @ rra” frigates, whose cost is still very high (between 2.6 and 3 billion euros for two ships). The visit (postponed due to a pandemic) by National Defense Minister Nikos Panayotopoulos to the US is expected. USA It takes place in July, where Athens awaits proposals and installations from Washington, in addition to the essentially complete agreement for MH-60 helicopters.
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