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Turkey issued NAVTEX for hydrographic surveys in the central Aegean, at a time when Greek-Turkish relations are going through a new crisis.
According to ERT's report, after the Yunus mission, a new illegal NAVTEX was issued by the Izmir Station for hydrographic surveys by the research vessel TSG Cesme in two areas in the centre of the Aegean west of the 25th meridian between Skyros - Agios Stratis and Lesvos.
When do the surveys start
The surveys will be carried out from today until 14 June.
In this area the right to issue notices belongs to Greece and as these are hydrographic surveys that do not concern the continental shelf, it is estimated that this is another attempt by Turkey to provoke and test Greece's reflexes.
Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, in a statement to the newspaper "ta NEA", called on the Allies not to give in to Turkey's blackmail and referring to Greek-Turkish relations, noted that we are witnessing an escalation of Turkish aggressive rhetoric and unprecedented actions against the sovereignty and sovereign rights of our country. We are not carried away by the extreme rhetoric beyond the Aegean Sea. We choose how and when we respond. It is obvious that Turkish aggression is not limited to our country," Dendias said.
The minister, referring to the imminent invasion of Syria and the Turkish reaction to the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO, stresses that this is yet another proof of Turkey's revisionist stance.
As in informed yesterday, a new Turkish NOTAM was issued for a major search and rescue exercise. In particular, on a symbolic date as May 29 is the anniversary of the fall of Constantinople, the Turks are effectively blockading the entire eastern Aegean.
Ankara has illegally blockaded five areas and among them runways through which they are asking passenger and commercial aircraft to maintain safe distances.
Greece's response to the NOTAM was immediate, stressing the illegality of the case, as well as the invalidity of the exercise, as Greece is solely responsible for the search and rescue in the center of the Aegean.
Turkish Press: Challenges sovereignty over 152 islands
At the same time, the Turkish press is reviving the debate over 152 islands in the Aegean whose sovereignty has not been determined. Turkey is contesting the status of a total of 152 islands from the northern Aegean to Crete, including Oinousses, Strongyli, Farmaconisi, Samothrace, Lesvos, Ikaria, Samos, Rhodes, Kos and Lemnos.
The dialogues of these days on Turkish TV networks are typical. Zafar Sahin (journalist).
Muharrem Inge (Patriotic Party chairman): But what do you say we go and take them?
Zaffer Sahin (journalist): Maybe we'll take them, who knows?
A new stern message to Ankara and Recep Tayyip Erdogan was sent by Kyriakos Mitsotakis from yesterday's cabinet meeting:
"Strong Greece, of course, annoys some people. We are thus receiving new threats from our neighbours, but the more they threaten, the more they are exposed and I believe that the more they challenge us, the more they are marginalised," the Prime Minister said.
Then he added: "We, therefore, have no reason to open a dialogue with the illegal, with the unreliable and ultimately with the deadlock. On the contrary, we always remain open to any approach based on international legitimacy and good neighbourly relations. This, however, in no way means that we will not defend our rights."
Source: in.gr
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