Greece and Turkey should avoid any "military incidents or accidents" in the Aegean Sea using the deconfliction mechanism established by NATO specifically for resolving such issues, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th September, 2022) Greece and Turkey should avoid any "military incidents or accidents" in the Aegean Sea using the deconfliction mechanism established by NATO specifically for resolving such issues, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, several Turkish F-16 jets were spotted flying over the Greek islands of Agathonisi and Anthropofagoi, which raised grave concerns in Athens, according to the Ekathimerini newspaper. The aircraft were later identified and intercepted in compliance with international rules, the media outlet added.
"There are some differences, some disagreements and, of course, our message is that those differences should be solved by diplomatic means, and it is important to prevent any military incidents or accidents for instance in the Aegean Sea, and that is why NATO has established a deconfliction mechanism where Turkey and Greece are taking part," Stoltenberg said on the sidelines of a forum organized by US magazine Foreign Policy.
NATO allies Greece and Turkey have been at odds for decades, with a risk of an armed conflict arising several times. A new round of tensions flared up on August 23, when Greece allegedly used S-300 air defense systems to escort F-16 fighters of the Turkish air force performing a reconnaissance mission west of Rhodes Island. The Greek Defense Ministry has denied Turkey's claims that Athens deployed its S-300s in Crete against Turkish F-16s.
Tensions between Athens and Ankara further escalated on September 3, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that Greece would pay a "heavy price" if incidents with Turkish planes continue.Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that Ankara expected objectivity from NATO in connection with the use by Greece of S-300 systems in the pursuit of Turkish aircraft. According to Akar, Athens ignores international law, good neighborly relations and friendship with Ankara.
