Kushagra Bansal – Mumbai Uncensored, 3rd May 2022
NATO allies, Greece and Turkey, spar over airspace, maritime and Cyprus
According to Greece, Turkey violated its airspace with fighter jets and undermined the NATO unity, which in turn was a response that blamed Athens for “provocative” violations of its own space.
Greece’s foreign minister, Nikos Dendias, said they protested against Turkey’s visit on Wednesday over a series of overflights in the Aegean Sea as they were not just unlawful but also an “unacceptable provocation”.
The problem was brought to the attention of NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday.
Mitsotakis mentioned “I made it clear to the secretary-general that this type of behaviour by a NATO ally … is unacceptable”.
He also mentioned how Turkey’s actions undermine the security of the European Union amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A government spokesperson said that the mentioned overflights were not a good sign for the “confidence-building” talks between the nations.
The Turkish foreign ministry responded to Greece by saying that Athens’ words did not reflect reality, it was Greece who incited tensions, and that the Turkish Air Force responded to the “provocations” according to engagement rules.
“On April 26-28, the Greek Air Force conducted provocative flights near our beaches, frequently violating our airspace over Datca, Dalaman, and Didim,” the statement added, referring to vacation towns on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.
“While Greece is the one provoking tensions, accusing our country of baseless charges is not consistent with the positive agenda and good neighborliness that have lately been established,” it continued, urging Athens to “sincerely support” NATO and bilateral confidence-building procedures.
In 1996, NATO allies Greece and Turkey came dangerously close to war over a barren Aegean islet. Despite occasional tensions, most recently over energy resources in the Mediterranean, bilateral ties have improved over time.
