Greek Foreign Ministry: “Turkey demonstrates lack of knowledge on geography”

After these developments and the escalation of the crisis, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had in the evening of Tuesday a telephone conversation with the Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim at the request of the Turkish side.

According to a press release from the Prime Minister’s office, Mr. Tsipras “pointed to his Turkish counterpart that events such as yesterday’s in the Imia region directly undermine Greek-Turkish and Euro-Turkish relations and violate international law”.

He also stressed “the need to immediately put an end to the growing provocative Turkish violations in the territorial waters and the airspace of the Greek islands in the Aegean and to reduce the tension”.

During the conversation, it was agreed to intensify talks on Confidence Building Measures.

According to sources, the telephone communication was made at the initiative of the Turkish Prime Minister and Mr. Yildirim claimed that yesterday’s incident in the Aegean was not the result of a deliberate action.

According to the same information, the two prime ministers also discussed the situation in the EEZ of Cyprus.

The Turkish side continued their provocations with unabated intensity against Greece, issuing a Navtex isolating the sea area around Kastelorizo (a.k.a. Megisti).

The Navtex was issued for the coming Thursday, with the alleged purpose of a Search & Rescue (SAR) exercise by the Turkish forces.

Η NAVTEXQ

ZCZC FA91 ANTALYA TURK RADIO ZCZC

130654 UTC FEB 18

NAVTEX NW NR0235/18

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) EXERCISE, ON 15 FEB 18 FROM 1100Z TO 1500Z OUT OF FOREIGN TERRITORIAL WATERS IN AREA BOUNDED BY;

36 21.44 N – 029 08.88 E

35 39.64 N – 029 08.88 E

35 39.64 N – 029 59.60 E

36 12.92 N – 029 59.60 E

CAUTION ADVISED