“The situation remains unchanged,” sources of the Greek General Staff told media on Wednesday afternoon after German media claimed that Chancellor Angela Merkel prevented a military conflict between Greece and Turkey.
“The Greek Armed Forces are on full alert and are monitoring the movements of the Turkish Navy,” the sources added.
Earlier German boulevard newspaper Bild had reported that Merkel managed to avert the military confrontation in the East Mediterranean Sea with a few phone calls. One to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and one to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late on Tuesday. “Merkel’s phone call to Erdogan changed the route of the Turkish warships,” Bild wrote.
Bild did not provide any evidence for Merkel’s alleged successful diplomatic intervention. It just interpreted the news most likely for internal political reasons and because Germany holds the rotating presidency in the European Union.
Some Greek media reported that the Turkish warships returned to the ports.
However, the Turkish research vessel Oruc Reis remains docked in the Gulf of Antalya, in South-West Turkey. Nearby are docked two Turkish frigates.
The Oruc Reis is the vessel that will conduct seismic and hydrocarbon research in the maritime area between the islands of Kastellorizo and Rhodes and Cyprus, an area a Turkish NAVTEX has blocked from July 21 until August 2, 2020.
Earlier today, Greece and Cyprus issued two separate NAVTEX canceling the Turkish one, but Ankara issued a new one a bit later.
The point is not whether the Turkish warships have withdrawn but whether Ankara will proceed with the deployment of Oruc Reis to the controversial maritime area and how Greece will react to this.
According to Alpha TV on Wednesday evening, the Greek Navy fleet is across the Aegean and the East Mediterranean, between Rhodes and Kastellorizo and also in the controversial area. Submarines are also participating.
The Turkish warships are close to the Turkish coast at the height of Rhodes and Kastellorizo, Alpha reported.
Greece must plan on ending provocations.
Greece should also increase and register its nautical borders to the 12 mile international limit, like everywhere else in the world. These dangerous pirates are not doing Greece any favors, why should Greece remain so tolerant and generous as to allow only 6 miles. These provocations actions must start costing them or they will continue.