Greece Registers 'Unprecedented' Violation Of National Airspace By Turkish Fighters

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st May, 2022) Athens has registered and strongly condemned an "unprecedented" violation of the Greek national airspace by Turkish fighters in the area of the Alexandroupolis port, which is used by NATO forces to supply military equipment to Eastern Europe and Ukraine, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

"We condemn in the strongest terms the unprecedented violation of Greece's national sovereignty by two Turkish fighter aircraft, which illegally entered our national airspace and approached Alexandroupolis within a distance of just 2.5 nautical miles. This action constitutes a clear escalation of Turkish provocative conduct," the Greek foreign ministry said in a statement.

Athens regarded the actions as a clear disregard for all fundamental norms of international law.

"This action undermines NATO's cohesion and urgent priorities and poses a clear threat to the European Union at a critical juncture, as the port of Alexandroupolis is a key hub for the transport of troops and equipment to reinforce our allies," the statement read.

In addition, the Greek foreign ministry has expressed an official protest to Turkish Ambassador Burak Ozugergin over the incident.

"Instructions were given to inform in this regard our allies and partners, as well as the EU, NATO, and the UN," the statement added.

For decades, Athens has been at odds with Ankara over a range of issues, such as competing territorial claims in the eastern Mediterranean and the Greek-Turkish divide in Cyprus. Greece has repeatedly accused Turkey of provocations and violations of international law. According to the Greek air force, Turkish aircraft violated the Greek airspace over the Aegean Sea 168 times on April 27. Athens believes that such actions by the Turkish side make confidence-building between the two countries impossible.

Ankara has, in turn, accused Athens of continued illegal and aggressive actions in the region. On April 29, Turkish media, citing national defense sources, reported that Greece had violated the Turkish airspace 30 times in three days.

Athens and Ankara have long been working on the improvement of difficult relations. The parties were on the verge of an armed conflict three times in the summer of 2020, with the Greek armed forces having been mobilized. The reason was that Turkey launched seismic exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean region, which Greece considers its exclusive economic zone.