The tension between Greece and Turkey has significantly increases from the middle of this year. It is expected that in the coming months this tension will reach a dangerous level, since both countries are preparing for the elections next year. So, Greek media write that Athens “are preparing to implement a plan that will be angry with Ankara.”
Ta Nea, one of the readable newspapers of Greece, writes that on the eve of the elections in the country, Athens are preparing to increase the limits of their internal waters from 6 to 12 miles from some sections of the island of Crete in the Aegean Sea. It is reported that the Greece government will deliberately try to expand the boundaries of its internal waters from the south and west, and not from the east of the island, to cause irritation in Turkey.
It is reported that Kiriakos Mitsotakis, who is preparing to defend the post of prime minister in the upcoming elections, supports this plan prepared by the Greece Foreign Ministry.
Sources in the Greek Foreign Ministry said that the plan can be implemented in March next year. According to available information, the United States also support him. The fact is that exploration of hydrocarbons in this region is conducted by the American company Exxonmobil.
It should be noted that one of the main causes of tension between Greece and Turkey is the armament of Greece of the demilitarized islands in the Aegean Sea. Under the Lausanne Peace Treaty of 1923, these islands belong to Greece, but the deployment of military forces there is prohibited. Turkey considers the weapons of the islands as a threat to its national interests. Against this background, Greece is actively armed. According to Ta Nea, next year the country will receive a new batch of French fighter Rafale.
A few days ago, the Greek F-16 fighters blocked the radars of two Turkish fighters of the same model over the Aegean Sea. The Turkish side said that in response to this provocation, she took adequate steps. Greek sources claimed that Turkish planes tried to discover the base of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems located on the island of Jerit.