Russian newsagency Sputnik reports that Greece’s civil aviation authority rejected announcements from Ankara seeking to restrict flights over Greek islands in the Aegean Sea for 12 months so that Turkey can carry out military training.

Pronews reported that on December 23, Ankara had issued NOTAM Α5885/15, Α5884/15 and Α5881/15, which announced restrictions on aviation in the northern, central and southern areas of the Aegean Sea. On Sunday it was reported that the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority has issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) to [nullify] and void three Turkish NOTAM, which provocatively and brazenly restrict flights in large areas of the Aegean for even 12 months.

The area Turkey wanted to use included the Mt. Athos peninsula in the northern Aegean, as well as Greek islands of Lemnos, Patmos, Tinos, Mykonos and Skyros among others.