Greece Boosts Navy Mission Amid Spat With Turkey
Greece's foreign minister said Wednesday his country will boost its
naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean as part of NATO and United
Nations-approved missions. Evangelos Venizelos made the announcement in
Cyprus at a time of renewed tension with Turkey over oil and gas
exploration rights off the divided island.
Venizelos said Greece would be sending a frigate and submarine, and
denied it was in response to a current Turkish survey mission in waters
where Cyprus has already licensed companies to drill.
"Greece has a longstanding naval presence in the region," he said. "All
countries in the region must work toward ... safeguarding peace and
stability in that region. That is my message to Turkey."
Cyprus has been split along ethnic lines since 1974, and only Turkey
recognizes the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north where it maintains a
strong military presence. The internationally recognized government is
in the Greek Cypriot south.
Venizelos met the foreign ministers Ioannis Kasoulides of Cyprus, and
Sameh Shoukry of Egypt for talks that centered on offshore energy
rights.
In a joint statement, the ministers said they "deplored the recent
illegal actions perpetrated within Cyprus' exclusive economic zone."
The leaders of Greece, Cyprus and Egypt are scheduled to meet in Cairo on Nov. 9.
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