Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar flew today, Thursday, over the Aegean Sea on a F-16 plane, while the UAE and Greece discussed ways of cooperation between the two countries, amid tense atmosphere in the eastern Mediterranean between Ankara and Athens.
Akar was accompanied on his air tour by military leaders that included the Chief of the General Staff and the Commander of the Land Forces, the Navy and the Air Force, on the occasion of the inauguration of the Aviation Training Year 2020-2021.
Akar had said - during a speech he gave during his visit to the air base in the city of Eskişehir in central Turkey - that his country does not seek to create tension, but rather to preserve its rights and interests with faith, science and law, stressing that no one can prevent it from doing so.
The Minister of Defense renewed his country's support for the idea of dialogue, despite all developments in the eastern Mediterranean, indicating that France has no right to interfere in the region.
On the other hand, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panayotopoulos held a phone call with his French counterpart, Florence Parly, and the Greek Ministry of Defense stated that the two sides discussed current developments in the eastern Mediterranean region, and confirmed their determination to maintain peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean.
Athens accuses Turkey of illegally drilling for natural gas off its islands, and Ankara responds that it is drilling in areas belonging to the Turkish continental shelf.
France has temporarily deployed two Rafale fighters and two military ships in the eastern Mediterranean, in support of Greece in the face of Turkey.
The UAE cooperates with Greece
Meanwhile, the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed discussed - during a phone call with the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias - developments in the eastern Mediterranean region.
The two sides touched on the latest developments in the region, and bin Zayed also stressed the distinguished friendship between the two countries, noting the keenness to strengthen them and develop and develop joint cooperation in all fields, as reported by the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
Davutoglu said that his country's government has given priority to force over diplomacy (Anatolia)
For his part, former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told Reuters that his country risks entering into a military confrontation in the eastern Mediterranean because it gives force priority over diplomacy.
Davutoglu - who leads a political party that has split from the ruling Justice and Development Party - said that Ankara has real grievances about Greece’s claims of entitlement to tens of thousands of square kilometers in the sea, all the way to Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, but the approach followed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan includes High stakes.
"Unfortunately, our government is not providing a decent diplomatic performance," he added, adding that if Greece and Turkey prefer "a show of strength" over diplomacy, then any crisis "could arise at any time and escalate."