Tel Aviv. The conflict between Turkey and Greece reached a new peak. The Turkish Ministry of Defense released a video showing Turkish fighter aircraft chasing away six Greek fighter flying over the eastern Mediterranean in the disputed area between the two countries. According to the ministry, the incident was filmed from a Turkish F-16.
The Greek fighter aircraft, also F-16, took off from Crete and flew in the direction of southern Cyprus. When they reached the disputed area between Turkey and Greece, which lies south of Antalya and west of Cyprus, the Turkish aircraft flew in their direction and warned them to stay away from the area.
The incident came a day after France announced it was joining the joint military maneuvers of Greece, Cyprus and Italy in the eastern Mediterranean, in a move seen as a show of force against Turkey.
All this happens while the conflict between Turkey and Greece is escalating over control of gas reservoirs in the region.
At the same time, Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan warned on August 25 that his country was determined to do everything necessary to preserve its “rights” in the Mediterranean, as well as in the Aegean and the Black Sea. “We will not compromise on what belongs to us,” he said.
The current tension in the Mediterranean, began about two weeks ago, when Turkey dispatched the survey ship Oruc Reis, accompanied by warships, to an area south of Antalya and west of Cyprus. It announced that the ship would operate there, as part of an attempt to locate gas reservoirs and, such as those found in other areas in the eastern Mediterranean.
Greece claims that this area is located on its land shelf, and therefore demanded that the Turkish ships leave the area. Turkey insists it has every right to conduct searches there. In response Greek ordered its military to be on alert and sent warships to the area.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
