Greece will conduct navy and air force exercises in the contested eastern Mediterranean on Tuesday in a move that drew an angry response from Turkey, which announced it will carry out training operations of its own, The National reported.
As the source detailed, T=the Greek three-day exercise will take place south-east of the island of Crete, near to where Turkey is searching for oil and gas.
The Turkish defence ministry said it would carry out the maritime training to enhance co-ordination.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that Greece was endangering the safety of all ships in the region.
Greece announced the exercise after the Turkish research vessel the Oruc Reis – which has been accompanied by the Turkish navy – would continue its work until Thursday. Greece has repeatedly demanded its withdrawal, sent its own warships to the area and placed its armed forces on alert.
Earlier this month, Athens said a Greek frigate and a Turkish ship collided while shadowing the Oruc Reis.
The tensions have reverberated across the EU, with France dispatching ships to the area to support Greece’s monitoring of Turkey’s work.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is due in Athens and Ankara on Tuesday where he will seek to resolve the tensions.
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