UPDATED further down
BREAKING NEWS - According to defencenet, Prime Minister George Papandreou is rushing back to Greece -via London- and cancelling his scheduled trip to New York (thus his programmed meeting with Turkish President T. Erdogan next Friday will be cancelled).
The press has been walking on coals since yesterday because the country was left without a leadership in the face of a possible heated crisis.
Reports are now saying that Papandreou might call for early elections, in order to once again "blackmail" Greek citizens over the sixth tranche of EU aid, or.... his sudden return could also mean that the situation in the East Med. is much more serious than he estimated.
Over the last few hours Turkish forces have apparently began preparing a military incident in the Eastern Mediterranean. So far, press reports in Athens say that the Turkish Armed Forces, under the guise of large-scale exercises, are moving army, navy and air force units in the region, in the framework of reinforcing their military presence in the Turkish coast.
Greek officials have expressed their concern that Turkey is planning an outright attack on Kastelorizo island. A report on Debka confirms this.
The press has been walking on coals since yesterday because the country was left without a leadership in the face of a possible heated crisis.
Reports are now saying that Papandreou might call for early elections, in order to once again "blackmail" Greek citizens over the sixth tranche of EU aid, or.... his sudden return could also mean that the situation in the East Med. is much more serious than he estimated.
Over the last few hours Turkish forces have apparently began preparing a military incident in the Eastern Mediterranean. So far, press reports in Athens say that the Turkish Armed Forces, under the guise of large-scale exercises, are moving army, navy and air force units in the region, in the framework of reinforcing their military presence in the Turkish coast.
Greek officials have expressed their concern that Turkey is planning an outright attack on Kastelorizo island. A report on Debka confirms this.
Since last Tuesday, Sept. 13, Turkish troop reinforcements are reported by debkafile's military sources as having landed in North Cyprus along with drilling equipment. Turkish troop reinforcements are reported by debkafile's military sources as having landed in North Cyprus along with drilling equipment. These preparations indicate that Turkey is planning to start drilling in the Cypriot EEZ without reference to Nicosia. This would mean that Prime Minister Erdogan, while spouting high-sounding pledges to "preserve "freedom of navigation in international waters," is preparing a wildcat breach of international law and treaties. Friday, the Greek government in Athens warned Ankara against pursuing this step. However, it would be in keeping with his past defiance of international norms. Even though Turkey accepted the UN Palmer commission's mediation in its dispute with Israel over the flotilla escapade, Erdogan declared its findings "null and void" –- after the panel ruled that Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip was legal and justified. Next Monday, therefore, many eyes will be alertly watching to see what happens when the Noble rig starts drilling in Cyprus' Block 12 of the Mediterranean. Debka
While Ankara prepares to move ahead with its surveys in the area and continues to threaten Noble Energy, Greek officials suddenly and without warning decided to spark a channel of communications with the “enemy”. It was announced that Turkish Armed Forces General Necdet Ozel will meet with the Hellenic chief of General Staff Gen. John Yiangos at noon today in Seville. The military chiefs are scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the NATO Military Committee, which examines issues related to transformation and the new structure of the Alliance.
The center of their talks is unknown. Will it provoke Turkey to proceed with a “heated” incident”? No one can be sure. Not even the military analysts at defencenet. The only thing that is certain is that the Greek government appears to be in a complete and utter panic.
On Saturday morning the Norwegian research ship "Bergen Surveyor" and "Thor Beamer" continued surveying the southern part of the Gulf of Antalya, or in international waters. The two research vessels are not accompanied by other vessels at the moment. Let us not forget though, that the eyes of the world are monitoring the ships by day…
Because by night, and especially last night… (according to defencenet) while the world was sleeping, the same Norweigian ship conducted surveys in Cyprus’ EEZ…. violating the UN’s Law of the Sea. But of course our leaders have mysteriously disappeared this (critical) weekend (even though they claim to be in a panic) and have left the sheep to watch the wolves…
The center of their talks is unknown. Will it provoke Turkey to proceed with a “heated” incident”? No one can be sure. Not even the military analysts at defencenet. The only thing that is certain is that the Greek government appears to be in a complete and utter panic.
On Saturday morning the Norwegian research ship "Bergen Surveyor" and "Thor Beamer" continued surveying the southern part of the Gulf of Antalya, or in international waters. The two research vessels are not accompanied by other vessels at the moment. Let us not forget though, that the eyes of the world are monitoring the ships by day…
Because by night, and especially last night… (according to defencenet) while the world was sleeping, the same Norweigian ship conducted surveys in Cyprus’ EEZ…. violating the UN’s Law of the Sea. But of course our leaders have mysteriously disappeared this (critical) weekend (even though they claim to be in a panic) and have left the sheep to watch the wolves…
UPDATEDThe Turkish Foreign Ministry rejected the Greek demarche for surveys in Greece’s EEZ by the Norwegian ships that are currently executing surveys there at the command of the Turkish government while it simultaneously declared that Greece has no EEZ in this area at all! Ankara’s response: “The surveys have been scheduled to be conducted in marine zones of Turkish jurisdiction”. Turkish war ships have set sail as we speak from Anatolia. As noted earlier in the article, the Greek government had already given a command for only one Greek warship to be stationed in the area so that it would not irritate Ankara and for some odd reason it was ordered to remain at Rhodes. What does this all mean? According to yet another report by defencenet military analysts it means one thing and one thing only… Ankara has X-ed Kastelorizo and Megisti from the map as well as Greece’s EEZ and moved ahead with baptizing these territorial waters as her own. It is now playing “hard ball” in this part of the Aegean rather than on the other side where the Israelis are ready and just waiting to be provoked. The only question that remains is what will the Greek government do during this crucial time? The national security of this country is at stake! Will they allow Turkey to just step in and take our national sovereignty? Will they allow Turkey to move ahead with de facto rights (that go against every international treaty) or will the government of George Papandreou finally voice his opposition? The ball is in our court now…
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