Tensions have risen between Turkey and Greece over gas exploration in the maritime region, with Greece alerting its military and the French president announcing aid to Athens. "We will not bow down at any stage," he said.
According to a foreign news agency, the dispute over natural gas and oil in the disputed waters between Turkey and Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean continues. Greece and Cyprus object to the fact that Turkish ships are exploring for gas and oil in the Eastern Mediterranean under Turkish Navy security.
Turkey says it owns the waters and knows how to defend its rights, interests and relations in the waters. The Eastern Mediterranean has vast gas reserves, which are often disputed between Turkey, Cyprus and Israel.
According to Turkish media, President Recep Tayyip Erdoانan has said that Greece and the Occupied Territories are escalating tensions, Ankara is not escalating tensions, only talks are the solution to the problem.
"We will not bow down at any stage, no company can drill for oil in our region without Turkey's consent," he said.
It should be noted that Greece considers Athens and some other Greek islands in the Eastern Mediterranean as so-called special economic zones and claims ownership of them. Just last week, Greece signed an agreement with Egypt, in which the two countries defined their respective economic zones in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Turkish government has called the deal a "pact of pirates", saying it owns the area and has resumed gas exploration, which it has done with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the European Union. Abandoned in the past after arbitration.
Turkish ships are exploring for natural gas and oil in parts of the Eastern Mediterranean, which Greece and Cyprus object to, saying Turkey violates its integrity and sovereignty by doing so in its territorial waters. Is violating international law. But Ankara accuses Greece of seeking to block its reasonable access to minerals in the Mediterranean. He says the Greek islands should not be considered special economic zones.
France, meanwhile, has announced plans to deploy more troops in the Eastern Mediterranean against Turkey.
On the issue, France supports Greece and Cyprus and opposes Turkey. French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Turkey to halt the oil and gas campaign immediately or face a military confrontation.
Expressing concern over tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, Macron said he was increasing his troop deployment in the region to co-operate with Greece.
