13.06.2021 – 16:17
The Greek Coast Guard said on Sunday (June 13th) that one of its patrol boats was “provoked” by a Turkish ship. Greek authorities said the incident caused minor damage.
The announcement comes a day before announced talks between Greek and Turkish leaders in Brussels.
The incident occurred in the eastern Aegean and no human consequences have been reported.
Such incidents are common in the Aegean Sea during patrols to observe ships transporting migrants from Turkey to Greece.
In April, Greece accused Turkey of seeking to “provoke tensions” in the Aegean through “dangerous” maneuvers and illegal aid to migrants.
Athens is urging Ankara to take more control of the routes used by migrants and to repatriate hundreds of asylum seekers who do not qualify for refugee protection status.
On Monday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as part of a NATO summit in Brussels.
“Mitsotakis said on Friday that good relations with Turkey will depend on efforts to reduce tensions and whether Turkey participates constructively in dialogue and respects the conditions set by the EU” in accordance with international law.
Turkey’s relations with the West, including France and the United States, escalated over the past year after Ankara sent gas exploration vessels to the Eastern Mediterranean, prompting a backlash from Greece and Cyprus, both European Union member states. / REL
