Measured strain ahead of New York

Tensions successful the Aegean highlighted the fragile instauration of Greek-Turkish relations this week, arsenic the planned deployment of Turkey’s probe vessel Piri Reis raised fears of escalation conscionable days earlier world leaders stitchery for the UN General Assembly successful New York.

A gathering betwixt Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected connected the sidelines.

Athens viewed Ankara’s announcement with suspicion, mobilizing to forestall a confrontation arsenic the vessel’s planned way passed heavy into the cardinal Aegean, west of Lesvos and Chios.

Over the weekend, intensive contacts led to the Piri Reis remaining docked successful Izmir alternatively of sailing Monday morning.

Both sides offered technical explanations: Greece cited the ship’s operational limits, while Turkey referred to weather conditions. Analysts noted, however, that keeping the vessel successful larboard besides reflected efforts to debar tension up of a imaginable leaders’ meeting.

The occurrence coincided with a large subject exercise.

On Wednesday, Greece activated its Delta Force, deploying special units to 30 islands and islets, while implicit 60 aerial unit craft and the full navy fleet participated, on with service units connected the Evros border.

In an interrogation connected Wednesday with Antenna TV, Mitsotakis said the drill was unrelated to the Piri Reis, describing it arsenic a scheduled workout held annually successful September.

During a gathering of the Government Council for National Security (KYSEA), officials debated the timing of the drill, while Mitsotakis stressed Greece’s vigilance.

He cited support for a 4th FDI frigate and dismissed earlier remarks by Turkey’s overseas curate astir “coordination.”

“I don’t cognize what the Turkish curate is referring to,” Mitsotakis said. “I will conscionable President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan for the eighth time.”

The premier curate besides underlined initiatives astatine sea, including spatial planning, steps toward marine parks, and the ongoing Chevron tender.

On the Greece-Cyprus energy interconnection, helium expressed optimism the task would determination forward, calling it “absolutely captious for Cyprus” and emphasizing Athens’ geopolitical support.