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Greece complains over air space violations by Turkish jets

Xinhua, April 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

Greece complained to NATO and the European Union(EU) over the increase of air space violations by Turkish fighter jets this week, Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos said, as the government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA) convened on Friday to examine Athens' next steps.

"All violations of the Greek national air space have been reported in complaints to NATO and the European Union," Kammenos told local Real FM station, shortly before KYSEA chaired by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras convened.

On the agenda of discussion were the latest developments on the refugees' crisis in the Aegean Sea as well as on the northern borders with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) where tensions have also flared this week.

"Greece remains dedicated to a policy of peace, stability and cooperation in the region...Greece defends its sovereignty in the context of international law with determination, responsibility and sobriety," said a government announcement issued after the meeting.

Greece reported 31 violations of its airspace over the Aegean Sea by Turkish jets since Tuesday. In at least two cases over the Inousses island cluster, Greek fighter jets engaged in simulated dogfights with the Turkish planes, according to the Greek Defense Ministry.

Ankara disputes Greece's sovereignty rights in this Aegean Sea area for decades.

On Thursday Kammenos and top military officers travelled to the area, as well as the Greece-FYROM border, as the Greek Army was conducting military exercises.

The tension in both borders has spiked this week as the ongoing refugee crisis tests all sides, as well as Europe, and international organizations and governments urge for stronger cross border cooperation to stem the massive refugee influx into Europe.

More than one million people have crossed the Aegean from Turkey to Greece and continued the perilous journey to northern Europe since 2015.

Over the past two weeks, under the March 18 EU-Turkey agreement, hundreds of refugees and migrants have been returned from the Greek islands to Turkey.

Following the border closures along the Balkan route in February, more than 53,000 refugees and migrants have been stranded in Greece. Some 12,000 remain at the Idomeni crossing on the border with FYROM.

More than 300 refugees were injured, when FYROM forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets on April 10 against hundreds of people who attempted to break through the fence. The incident was strongly condemned by Athens, while Skopje complained over the "inaction" of Greek border guards. Enditem