Turkey to hold military drills off coast of Cyprus as Greece continues exercises with France and Italy

·

Turkey said on Thursday it will hold firing exercises in the eastern Mediterranean on Sept 1-2, the latest in a series of military drills which have fuelled tensions with Greece.

The announcement came hours before parliament in Greece is expected to ratify an agreement with Egypt which defines maritime boundaries between the two countries, a step which Turkey considers an affront.

NATO states Greece and Turkey have been locked in a dispute over control of eastern Mediterranean waters, which escalated after Ankara sent a seismic survey vessel to the disputed region this month in a move which Athens called illegal.

They are at odds over the rights to potential hydrocarbon resources, based on conflicting claims over the extent of their continental shelves.

In this photo provided by the Greek Defense Ministry, warships take part in a military exercise in Eastern Mediterranean sea, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. (Greek Defense Ministry via AP)

The Turkish navy issued the latest advisory, known as a Navtex, on Thursday saying it will hold the shooting exercises in the eastern Mediterranean off the coast of Iskenderun, northeast of Cyprus. It also extended the seismic work of its Oruc Reis survey vessel, southwest of Cyprus, until Sept 1.

As the dispute widened, France said on Wednesday it was joining military exercises with Italy, Greece and Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said the deployment of French military aircraft in Cyprus violated treaties regarding the control and administration of the island after independence from Britain in 1960.

Aksoy said that France’s stance was dangerously encouraging Greece and Cyprus to further escalate tensions in the region.

Parliament in Greece is expected to ratify an accord on Thursday evening defining its sea boundaries with Egypt, having ratified a similar deal with Italy.

Greece now plans to extend its territorial waters in the Ionian Sea to 12 nautical miles from its coast, from six nautical miles. Turkey has warned that a similar move by Athens in waters east of Greece would be a cause for war.

Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said that Greece’s right to shift its western maritime border stems from the Law of the Sea and it reserves the right to do so in other sea areas, when it decides.

“The tension is not created by Greece, which is ready to contribute in a de-escalation,” he said.

Sourced By: Reuters

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Youthful Saints no match for rampaging Wildfire in huge road loss

After a nail-biting win against Goulburn Bears in round five, St George Saints Mens White hit the road to take on Camden Valley Wildfire.

Greek Festival of Sydney to end on a high note with cinematic orchestral tribute

The Greek Festival of Sydney will conclude its celebrated program with a spectacular symphony orchestra event.

Basil Zempilas open to quotas as WA Liberals confront gender imbalance

WA Liberal leader Basil Zempilas says he is prepared to consider 50:50 gender quotas for candidate preselection as part of a broader effort.

Koutsantonis calls on Speirs to relinquish ‘Honourable’ title after drug conviction

Labor frontbencher Tom Koutsantonis has called on former South Australian Liberal leader David Speirs to give up his "Honourable" title.

Federal Court to rule on ‘River to the Sea’ meaning in Mary Kostakidis anti-Semitism case

A Federal Court case brought by Zionist Federation of Australia CEO Alon Cassuto against former SBS newsreader Mary Kostakidis.

You May Also Like

Team Greece draws the US in group stage for basketball World Cup

Team Greece draws the United States in group stage for basketball World Cup FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

Turkish official reiterates plan to continue drilling activities in Mediterranean

Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said on Tuesday that Turkey intends to continue prospecting for hydrocarbon in the Mediterranean.

Tom Hanks’ son speaks out as LA fires ravage homes

The Palisades fire, fuelled by fierce winds, has left celebrities including Tom Hanks and his family at risk as it rages on.