ATHENS: Greece urged Turkey on Sunday to rescind a naval advisory announcing hydrocarbon exploration activity in the Mediterranean, saying the area it covered included Greek continental shelf.
NATO members Turkey and Greece are at odds over conflicting claims to hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean and the ranges of their continental shelves.
Greek Foreign Ministry officials said that Turkey’s new advisory, regarding the deployment of a research vessel during November 1-14 period, covers an area that includes Greek continental shelf a few miles from Greek islands of Rhodes and Kastelorizo.
“Greece once again condemns this delinquent behavior,” said Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias in a written statement.
Dendias added that Athens preparing an official diplomatic protest and will inform EU partners and allies on the issue.
In a rare moment of solidarity between the neighbors, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday to offer condolences after a strong earthquake felt in both countries killed civilians in the Turkish city of Izmir.
Greece: Turkey encroaching on continental shelf with new hydrocarbon search
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Greece: Turkey encroaching on continental shelf with new hydrocarbon search
- NATO members Turkey and Greece are at odds over conflicting claims to hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean
Sirens heard at Incirlik air base, key NATO facility in south Turkiye: state news agency
- Key NATO facility where US troops are stationed near the southeastern city of Adana
ANKARA: Sirens were heard early on Friday at Turkiye’s Incirlik air base, a key NATO facility where US troops are stationed near the southeastern city of Adana, state news agency Anadolu reported.
There was no immediate official comment on the incident, which took place four days after NATO air defenses shot down a ballistic missile in Turkish airspace that was fired from Iran, the second in five days.
Residents of Adana, which lies 10 kilometers away from the base, were woken at around 3:25 a.m. (0025 GMT) by sirens, which sounded for around five minutes, according to the Ekonomim business news website.
It said a red alert sounded at the base.
Several people posted mobile phone footage on social media of a glowing image flying through the sky, suggesting it could be a missile heading for the air base, it said.
Across the city, sirens from fire engines and the security forces could be heard for a long time, it added.
NATO said it shot down a second ballistic missile fired from Iran on Monday, prompting a stern warning from Turkiye to Tehran not to take “provocative steps.”
The announcement came shortly after Washington said it was closing down its consulate in Adana, urging all American citizens to leave southeastern Turkiye.
Since the US-Israeli war against Iran started, Tehran has launched strikes across the Middle East. Turkiye had appeared to have been spared.
As well as Incirlik air base, US troops are also stationed at Kurecik, another Turkish base that is a NATO facility in the center of the country, where a Patriot missile defense system was deployed on Tuesday.
A first missile had been intercepted by NATO defenses in Turkish air space on March 4.
