UAE sends F-16s to Greece amid Athens-Ankara tensions

ATHENA – Uni Emirat Arab (UEA) reportedly will send F-16 fighter jet to the main port Greece, Souda, as part of trilateral defense cooperation between the UAE, Greece and Egypt. So read a report by the Greek state broadcaster ERT.

“The warplanes are expected to take part in joint military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean,” ERT added without elaborating. Sputnik, Saturday (22/8/2020).

UAE authorities have not commented on the matter.

Abu Dhabi’s reported move to dispatch F-16s to Souda comes as Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash welcomes the Athens-Cairo deal that defines their exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the eastern Mediterranean.(Read: Turkey finds gas in the Black Sea in huge quantities)

“The signing of the maritime boundary demarcation agreement between Egypt and Greece is a victory for international law over the law of the jungle,” tweeted Gargash.

The statement came against the backdrop of Greek tensions-Turkey which rose earlier in August, when the Greek Foreign Ministry urged Turkey to immediately halt “illegal” drilling activity in the eastern Mediterranean, warning that Athens would defend itself if necessary.

The warning followed Turkish research vessel Oruc Reis carrying out seismic survey activities in the disputed Mediterranean Sea zone south of Antalya and western Cyprus.

The move was preceded by Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy who claimed that Greece’s actions, particularly the “pirate agreement with Egypt” on the creation of the EEZ, violated Ankara’s own continental shelf rights and demonstrated that it was not sincere and honest about dialogue.(Read: Greek-Turkish Battles in the Maya World)

“This agreement violates the rights of our country and Libya to the continental shelf in the eastern Mediterranean. After that, our ship Oruc Reis began pre-planned seismic research activities. There is no legal basis for Greece to oppose it, ”said Aksoy.

He was referring to a deal that Turkey and Libya reached in 2019 to take over the lion’s share of Mediterranean waters that Greece considers part of its own EEZ.

Egypt, in turn, joined Greece in condemning the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime boundary agreement as “illegal”, with the EU also siding with Athens in the dispute and sanctioning Ankara for its drilling off the coast of Cyprus.

(ber)

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