Reports claim that the Turkish fighter did not violate Greek airspace, but without a doubt it wanted to intimidate the significance of the moment. Also there was no need of a dogfight since the Greek fighters managed to encircle the Ministers helicopter which was now hovered over the islet of Imia. The same reports add that a few more planes took to the skies from both sides but the Turks decided to withdraw their forces after realizing that the Greek fighters had locked on to their movements and had taken their place around the controversial islet.
The NH-90 helicopter that was transporting the Greek defence minister over Imia maneuvered over the islet’s shore to allow the ministry delegation to lay the wreath.
It should be reminded that in 1996 the events that unfolded at this island almost led to a war between Greece and Turkey (read article below for details.) At the time Turkey began to dispute the sovereignty of these Greek islands and spoke of “grey zones” in the Aegean. This is one of the reasons why the US requested that all armed forces and flags be removed from the area.
The minister was accompanied to Imia by the Chief General Armed Forces Vice Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis.
It should be noted that Kammenos was the first Minister to visit the Islets since 1996. His initiative to honor the three pilots who perished at sea at the time should indeed be applauded. (Bravo tou)
Earlier on Friday he also would lay a wreath at the Imia memorial in down town Athens.
The Golden Dawn party has also organized a demonstration at the Imia Memorial in Athens, while various antifascist groups have arranged to gather in Omonia Square.
Imia: Almost Two Decades Later And We Have Not Forgotten
At
the end of January in 1996 on the islet of Imia (Ίμια), which is a set
of two small uninhabited islets in the Aegean Sea, at the Greek chain of
islands known as the Dodecanese, a war nearly broke out between Greece
and Turkey. That
night, Greek special forces landed on the east islet without being
spotted by the nearby Turkish ships.
On January 31, at 01:40 Turkish special forces landed on the west islet escalating the tensions, and a Greek helicopter took off at 05:30 am from the Greek frigate "Navarino" for reconnaissance. During the mission the helicopter crashed over the islets (some speculating due to Turkish fire) and three Greek officers, namely Commander Christodoulos Karathanasis. Commander Panagiotis Vlahakis and flagship Hector Gialopso died. (These are the three heroic men who died in defence of the blue and white and who the Greek Minister of Defence wanted to commemorate on Friday).
The Greek Parliament is quickly briefed on the incident, and the acting Prime Minister at the time, Costas Simitis, calls on his cabinet and chairs an extraordinary meeting. Following this, Simitis holds a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart, via the mediation of Americans in the framework of avoiding war. At 6:10 am the ministers of defense and foreign affairs, namely, Arsenis and Theodore Pangalos, respectively, announce that an agreement was reached between Athens and Ankara following the diplomatic intervention of US President Bill Clinton and his mediator Richard Holbrooke.
On January 31, at 01:40 Turkish special forces landed on the west islet escalating the tensions, and a Greek helicopter took off at 05:30 am from the Greek frigate "Navarino" for reconnaissance. During the mission the helicopter crashed over the islets (some speculating due to Turkish fire) and three Greek officers, namely Commander Christodoulos Karathanasis. Commander Panagiotis Vlahakis and flagship Hector Gialopso died. (These are the three heroic men who died in defence of the blue and white and who the Greek Minister of Defence wanted to commemorate on Friday).
IMAGE - The photo above shows the
bullets that were fired on the helicopter from the Turkish side. It is
one of the few photos that have not been able to erase the
responsibilities of those who rushed to claim that the helicopter fell
because the pilot, Karathanasis suffered heart problems.
The Greek Parliament is quickly briefed on the incident, and the acting Prime Minister at the time, Costas Simitis, calls on his cabinet and chairs an extraordinary meeting. Following this, Simitis holds a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart, via the mediation of Americans in the framework of avoiding war. At 6:10 am the ministers of defense and foreign affairs, namely, Arsenis and Theodore Pangalos, respectively, announce that an agreement was reached between Athens and Ankara following the diplomatic intervention of US President Bill Clinton and his mediator Richard Holbrooke.
(The same man who years later was sending cables from Athens to the US about Costas Karamanlis, and the same man who a couple of years ago -and while George Papandreou was in power- accompanied Hillary Clinton to Athens to discuss Greece's natural energy reserves. He is a man who has always lobbied in favor of sharing the Aegean sea (and all its wealth) with Turkey... If you need more information, simply type in his name in our search box and you will be astonished with what will pop up.)
Later on in the day and following a "thank you" to the Americans by Simitis in the Greek parliament (which infuriated MPs from the Right to the Left), the Turkish threat began to die down. That is of course what Simitis' PASOK party believed at the time..., but as we can all see the Greek people never forgot.
Almost two decades later... we have still not forgotten, and we never will. How can a nation forget that its own government sent three innocent souls to be slaughtered at the hands of ruthless men? This tragedy will NEVER BE FORGOTTEN, nor will it EVER BE FORGIVEN.
Almost two decades later... we have still not forgotten, and we never will. How can a nation forget that its own government sent three innocent souls to be slaughtered at the hands of ruthless men? This tragedy will NEVER BE FORGOTTEN, nor will it EVER BE FORGIVEN.
Background to the tragedy
On December 25, 1995 the Turkish cargo vessel "Figen Akat" ran aground on one of the Imia rocky islets. Although the accident occurred within Greek territorial waters the captain of the "Figen Akat" refused assistance from the competent Greek authorities claiming that he was within Turkish territorial waters. Despite assurances to the contrary, the captain sought assistance from the Turkish authorities. Finally, in agreement with the Turkish company that owned the vessel, the "Figen Akat" was towed to the Turkish port of Gulluk by a Greek tug boat.
On December 29, 1995, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed to the Greek Embassy in Ankara a Note Verbal, asserting, for the first time in more than half a century, that Imia constitutes part of the Turkish territory, registered in the land registry of the Turkish province of Mugla. Greece reacted and on January 10, 1996 it addressed a Note Verbal to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. By that Note Greece rejected the Turkish claims and underlined that Imia is Greek territory by virtue of cession from Italy, to which it belonged in accordance with the 1932 Italo-Turkish Agreement and the subsequent Proces Verbal.
While legal and diplomatic staffs in both Athens and Ankara started to dig the archives and to develop more elaborate arguments, the incident escalated to a crisis. On January 25, 1996, the Mayor of Kalymnos together with three other Greek citizens raised a Greek flag on the larger of the Imia islets. On January 27, 1996, Turkish journalists from the Turkish daily Hurriyet landed on this same islet, took down the Greek flag that was posted there and raised the Turkish flag. Although the Turkish Government did not officially endorse the action of the Turkish journalists, the Turkish Prime Minister at that time, Ms Tansu Ciller, insisted a few days later: "We can't let a foreign flag fly on Turkish soil. The flag will come down."
On January 28, 1996, a Greek navy detachment replaced the Greek flag. At the same time a major naval build up was developing around the Imia islets and at various times up to 20 vessels were reported in the area. On January 30, 1996, Turkey sent several ships to the region, prompting Greece to send an equal number. A Turkish frigate violated Greek territorial waters targeting a Greek gunboat that was patrolling the area and a Turkish helicopter flew over the Imia islets. The same day the entire Greek fleet left its naval base near Pireus and sailed to the Aegean. The crisis reached its peak in the early morning hours of January 31, 1996 when the Turkish army landed some men on the smaller of the Imia islets. (hri).
On December 29, 1995, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed to the Greek Embassy in Ankara a Note Verbal, asserting, for the first time in more than half a century, that Imia constitutes part of the Turkish territory, registered in the land registry of the Turkish province of Mugla. Greece reacted and on January 10, 1996 it addressed a Note Verbal to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. By that Note Greece rejected the Turkish claims and underlined that Imia is Greek territory by virtue of cession from Italy, to which it belonged in accordance with the 1932 Italo-Turkish Agreement and the subsequent Proces Verbal.
While legal and diplomatic staffs in both Athens and Ankara started to dig the archives and to develop more elaborate arguments, the incident escalated to a crisis. On January 25, 1996, the Mayor of Kalymnos together with three other Greek citizens raised a Greek flag on the larger of the Imia islets. On January 27, 1996, Turkish journalists from the Turkish daily Hurriyet landed on this same islet, took down the Greek flag that was posted there and raised the Turkish flag. Although the Turkish Government did not officially endorse the action of the Turkish journalists, the Turkish Prime Minister at that time, Ms Tansu Ciller, insisted a few days later: "We can't let a foreign flag fly on Turkish soil. The flag will come down."
On January 28, 1996, a Greek navy detachment replaced the Greek flag. At the same time a major naval build up was developing around the Imia islets and at various times up to 20 vessels were reported in the area. On January 30, 1996, Turkey sent several ships to the region, prompting Greece to send an equal number. A Turkish frigate violated Greek territorial waters targeting a Greek gunboat that was patrolling the area and a Turkish helicopter flew over the Imia islets. The same day the entire Greek fleet left its naval base near Pireus and sailed to the Aegean. The crisis reached its peak in the early morning hours of January 31, 1996 when the Turkish army landed some men on the smaller of the Imia islets. (hri).
After the Imia incident, and PASOK's Secret Diplomacy Exposed
Following Imia, as revealed in the videos, the Greek government sent a letter to US officials telling them that they would command that all Greek military forces leave from the Dodecanese islands that run along the Turkish coast in the framework of mending Greek-Turkish relations. Luckily for our country, the Greek military presence in the area remained.
No harm in that right?
Wrong.
In a series of classified documents that were presented by reporter Costas Chardavelas (Video Below) -based on talks between former US President Bill Clinton, the then head of the CIA, the Greek and Turkish governments- and which were declassified a couple of years ago by the US, show that top secret meetings were held by Costas Simitis, the then Minister of Foreign Affairs Theodore Pangalos, the then Minister of Defence Gerasimos Arsenis, the then head of the Armed Forces Mr. Lyberis, etc, with American and Turkish officials.
In one of those documents, it was more or less understood that Theodore Pangalos had agreed and noted (in a document) that it was "illegal" for Greek troops to be stationed in the area known as the Dodecanese islands. We repeat... In an effort to please the West in their outrageous demands, a GREEK MINISTER SAID THAT IT WAS ILLEGAL TO HAVE GREEK TROOPS STATIONED ON A GREEK ISLAND. (The reporter Costas Chardavelas said that this was one condition that was demanded by the American side. Watch full video below for all the details.)
In some nations people would be hung with such statements, but under the PASOK regime and its green corrupt blanket, the story did not even make headlines in the news.
In simple words, the division of the Aegean -or the so-called grey zones- obviously began on the night that the Imia affair unfolded, under the Simitis government.
(And we all know who continued the dirty work thereafter. Correct... George Papandreou)
The media in Greece may have remained silent on the issue of Imia. Only a few daring reporters have actually touched the subject. Some believe that this was done in an effort to manipulate us into thinking that it was a one time incident, or even a misunderstanding, but as we said earlier, almost two decades have passed and the issue has still not been forgotten by the masses.
In fact, now that our leaders have finally admitted that there is oil and natural gas in these areas, one thing is for certain, Imia (and Kastelorizo) will dominate the news again!
This of course will never bring back those three young boys who rushed to the call of duty on that frightful night. These young boys will always be remembered. Their
sacrifice is not only hailed by their
families... but by all Hellenes. We can
never repay them for this act of selflessness. The only thing that we can do, however, (or rather are obligated as a people and compelled to
do) is honor them every year, remember their
sacrifice and bravery and tell their story.
Signed
Marina Spanos
References:
References:
- http://strangehellas.blogspot.com/2010/02/blog-post_24.html
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmium
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imia
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHBi35oaimw
- http://www.antirrisies.gr/node/361
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