The Turks continue to play with "fire", in addition to provocative rhetoric, seem to be seeking to transfer the tension - with unpredictable consequences - to the field.
While on Friday there were 30 violations and an air battle in the northeastern Aegean, today the Turkish coast guard took the "baton."
According to information from MEGA, a Turkish coast guard ship violated the Greek territorial waters near Imia.
What is Turkey seeking
Ankara is systematically fuelling the tension in Greek-Turkish relations, reiterating claims about the demilitarisation of the eastern Aegean islands, with Athens at the same time engaging in a coordinated campaign to inform the international community, signalling in all directions that it is ready to face any Turkish provocation.
Keeping the channels of communication and diplomacy with Turkey open, Greece calls on Turkey to understand that the common interest requires sincere dialogue within the framework of international law, while the government is preparing to raise the issue of Turkish provocativeness again at the European Union Summit on 23 and 24 June.
In an unprecedented action, the Turkish president made a series of posts on his personal Twitter account on Thursday. In a total of eight messages in one thread in Greek, the Turkish president refers to the Aegean Sea, talks about Megisti (Kastellorizo), and refers to the "oppression of the Turkish minority" in Western Thrace, Rhodes and Kos.
It is now obvious that Turkey is attempting to create a cloak of legitimacy before proceeding with an aggressive action against Greece. The narrative is as follows: According to Ankara, Greece - in violation of the relevant provisions of international treaties - has militarized the Aegean islands that are a stone's throw from Turkish territory, something he repeated yesterday during his speech after the Efes 2022 military exercise.
This fact, always according to the Turkish side, removes the Greek sovereignty status of the islands on the one hand, and on the other hand it poses a major threat to Turkey's national security. Therefore, it is legitimate to demand the immediate demilitarization of the islands by challenging their sovereignty.
They are trying to block Greek exercise west of Karpathos
At the same time, Turkey is trying to block Greek exercise west of Karpathos.
On 9/6 Athens issued a NOTAM committing the area for an exercise of the Greek Armed Forces on 14/6.
On 9/6 Athens proceeded to issue a NOTAM committing the area for an exercise of the Greek Armed Forces on 14/6.
Turkey - claiming that this area falls under the demilitarized zone of Karpathos - issued its own NOTAM saying that this exercise cannot take place.
MEGA presented the map of the sea area west of Karpathos that Greece has reserved for the exercise, which the Turks are trying to block.
Source: in.gr
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
