PROVOCATION - Turkey to helicopter carrying Greek Minister: “You are flying within Turkish FIR. Please leave”

An outrageous request was issued on Thursday at noon to a Chinook helicopter that was not only carrying the Greek Minister of Defence Nikos Dendias from the Strongyli islet, to the islet of Ro islet (both of which are located in the eastern Aegean), but also the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff General Michail Kostarakos as well as the Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff Lieutenant General Christos Manolas. The request signals a new round of provocations just a few hours ahead of Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos' visit to Turkey.

The operators of a Turkish radar transmitted the following message to the Greek helicopter:

    “You are flying within Turkish FIR. Please leave.”

A special bulletin on the onalert military news site said that the crew of the Chinook didn't respond to the Turkish call and continued on its course until it landed on the island. As the helicopter was landing, two Turkish F16s approached the island but then turned around and suddenly left.

Dendias visited the islets to inspect the units and outposts in the Area of Responsibility of the 95th Higher National Guard Battalions Command.

The incident may have not been that threatening but it certainly infuriated the Greek Defence Minister who send the following message to Turkey from the area of Kastelorizo:

     “Greece has the honor of enjoying peaceful and friendly relations with all the peoples in the world. But it is also determined to defend both its national sovereignty and its national dignity.”

(Damn right it will!)