Turkey announced on the afternoon of August 23rd the extension of the previous illegal NAVTEX with Ankara declaring that it will continue the surveys the “Oruc Reis” vessel is conducting until 27 August in an area Greece has EEZ rights.
Greece responded with a NAVTEX declaring it will conduct a aeronautical training exercise. The exercise will take place in the area SE of Crete, Karpathos, Rhodes and South Kastelorizo.
It is noted that this is the area the Oruc Reis is right now as described by the illegal Turkish NAVTEX and it is even wider.
The Greek NAVTEX will be valid from the morning hours of August 25 until the evening hours of August 27, while it is emphasized that it does not include live fire drills.
With this move Turkey cancels all efforts by the international community (Germany, USA) for a restart of a dialogue between Greece and Turkey.
