Greek, Turkish ships face off in the Aegean, but no hostile engagement
Efforts are being made to de-escalate tension between Greece and Turkey in the Aegean, due to the presence of several navy vessels and an exploration ship south of the islands of Kassos and Karpathos.
Turkish warships are deployed just outside Greece’s territorial waters (6 miles from the coast) due to the presence of the Ievoli Relume, an Italian research vessel, which is carrying out research for the future deployment of underwater cables for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), the electricity connection between Crete and Cyprus.
Turkey alleges violation of its continental shelf, since it does not recognize that islands have a continental shelf of their own.
Greek and Turkish ships have not engaged in any hostile way, diplomatic sources have told Kathimerini. Greek and Turkish officials are in constant communication.
Ievoli Relume will conclude its research activity at 9 p.m. Wednesday, as mentioned in the navigational warning (NAVTEX) issued by the Hellenic Navy’s mapping agency station at Iraklio, Crete.
The management of the situation reflects Greece’s determination not to disturb the recent detente between the two countries ahead of the September meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
“The government clearly wants to maintain an ambience of dialogue and we are optimistic on that,” government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said in an interview with Skai radio.
A statement by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis on the capability of F-35 planes, which Greece will soon acquire, to stage a night raid on Ankara, had pride of place on Tuesday’s Turkish media. “Scandalous remarks by Greek minister,” said daily Milliyet on its front page.
