Eastern Mediterranean

The Greek side is obliged to be, as it is, in a constant state of readiness, and to combine a clear and fine line of composure with a firm demonstration of decisiveness.

The overarching aim of sending the “Abdulhamid Han” for natural gas and oil exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean is to forcefully assert the Turkish dogma of the “Blue Homeland”.

Even if the international community would not tolerate a Turkish provocation in the Eastern Mediterranean, given the current confluence of events, we should not remain complacent.

Turkey knows that Greece and the West constitute a stable front in confronting the game of revisionism, with composure and without high-pitched rhetoric.

“#URGENT Türkiye's Abdulhamid Han drill ship to start mission in Mediterranean, will leave Mersin port on Aug. 9, says energy minister,” Anadolu Agency tweeted tonight.

The characteristics of the current phase in Greek-Turkish relations is hardly unfamiliar to Greece, as it is part of a diachronic blame game.

Erdogan has not moved an inch in pursuing a wide array of claims and challenges to Greek sovereignty, and the PM must make tough calls on what more Athens may legitimately negotiate, without compromising sovereignty and national interests.

Mitsotakis and Harris discussed Turkish provocations against Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean, at a time when Ankara is disputing Athens’ sovereignty over certain Aegean islands, which Turkey claims should be demilitarised.

In his presentation, Dendias offered comprehensive answers to Turkey’s claims with maps illustrating Ankara’s flouting of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean.

The change in America’s intentions and priorities should come as no surprise. It confirms that despite some doubling back by Washington, geopolitical developments in our neighbourhood remain exceptionally fluid.

Putin and Mitsotakis are to adopt a 2022-2024 joint action plan which, according to Greek government sources, will determine the basic axes of bilateral cooperation over the coming years.

'With Spain, Germany, and other countries involved in arms deals with Turkey, it would be difficult for Ankara to be described as a 'threat'. It is oxymoronic to arm a country that threatens us.' The view of Brussels is that, “Europe is stronger when Turkey is with it rather than against it.”

The popularity of the once most popular Turkish politician is plummeting, and the economic problems of the “regional power” are constantly growing. Inflation and poverty are battering  his working class base of support.

Pompeo said he is enthusiastic about the recent US-Greece Mutual Defence Cooperation Agreement and that Turkey is undermining security in the Eastern Mediterranean.

During the Russian PM’s March visit, Mitsotakis had underlined that the fact that Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council “places on you the duty of maintaining peace on a global level.”

Yayci is the originator of Ankara’s expansionist “Blue Motherland” theory, which claims large segments of Greece’s territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for Turkey.

'Following our pressures there is a clear reference to the need for Turkey to abide by the EU-Turkey Joint StatemeNT…and indeed the European Council calls on the Commission to propose legal changes with specific measures and funding for the more secure guarding of our borders,' the PM said.

'We use hard power when all other choices are exhausted and in order to drive things to dialogue and diplomacy. In the Eastern Mediterranean, we mobilised in order to demonstrate that our legal rights and our sovereignty are non-negotiable,' said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

The Greek people see that clearly see the upgraded relations and alliances with all of major players both on the international stage and in our region - with agreements on delimiting our EEZ with Egypt and Italy, on the electricity link-up with Egypt and Italy, and with the defence agreement with France,

The specific reference to the implementation of international law specifically in the Eastern Mediterranean sends a clear measure to Ankara at a time when it is actively challenging and disputing Greece’s and Cyprus’ rights under international law in the region.

Dendias touted the fact that even as the US adjusts its international presence it chose to remain in Greece, and he delicately confirmed that the Mutual Defence Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) has been renewed for five years and that thereafter it will be in effect indefinitely.

The declaration comes less than two weeks after Greece and France signed a mutual defence pact and even as Ankara has decided to send its Oruc Reis research vessel to the Eastern Mediterranean.

While Ankara has systematically harassed and blocked the Nautical Geo research vessel, which is to conduct research in the Mediterranean to plot the course of the EastMed pipeline, occupying a large swathe of Cyprus’ EEZ, Akar claimed that the ship is violating Turkey’s maritime jurisdiction.

The prospect of high-level political negotiations between Athens and Ankara has fueled concerns among analysts that Greece may make concessions that touch on national sovereignty.

Despite concerns over recent Turkish backsliding on human rights, the EU has applauded Ankara’s recent withdrawal of vessels operating in disputed waters and restarting talks with Greece.