Amid tensions with Turkey, Greece in joint manoeuvres with France
The French military conducted training exercises
with Greek forces off the southern island of Crete on Thursday, defence sources
said, as tension persisted with Turkey over disputed waters in the eastern
Mediterranean.
Thursday’s exercise was the first manifestation of
French President Emmanuel Macron’s commitment to temporarily reinforce his
country’s presence in the eastern Mediterranean. France has called on Turkey to
halt oil and gas exploration in disputed waters.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed
the situation in the region with Macron by telephone on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the French armed forces ministry said
it was sending two Rafale fighter jets and the naval frigate ‘Lafayette’ to the
eastern Mediterranean.
The frigate and the jets had arrived in Crete
earlier on Thursday and carried out joint manoeuvres with Greek forces, the
Greek defence sources said.
“Emmanuel Macron is a true friend of Greece and a
fervent defender of European values and international law,” Mitsotakis tweeted,
in French, after the call with Macron.
Tensions have simmered between NATO allies Greece
and Turkey in recent days over overlapping claims to hydrocarbon resources in
Mediterranean waters.
A Turkish seismic vessel, the Oruc Reis, has been
sailing between Crete and Cyprus since Monday, despatched by Ankara days after
Greece signed a maritime deal with Egypt designating an exclusive economic zone
between the two nations.
Turkey says it plans to open up some of the area for
potential hydrocarbon exploration, and a precursor to that is collecting
seismic data it can process and sell to potential bidders. Both countries lay
claim to the area.
