TURKS CONTINUE TO STIR TENSION
Kathimerini
Sept 9 2009
Greece
A helicopter participating in an initiative by the European Union’s
border-monitoring agency Frontex to curb illegal immigration in the
Aegean yesterday received a series of emergency signals via Turkish
radar, warning that the aircraft had entered Turkish air space,
Greek defense officials said.
The signals were sent just before 7 a.m. as the aircraft had been
flying over the islet of Farmakonisi. The Lithuanian pilots ignored the
signals and continued with their patrol duties, the defense officials
said. The Foreign Ministry in Athens responded by lodging a complaint
with Ankara.
It is the sixth time this year that Turkey has sent emergency
signals by radar to Greek or foreign aircraft flying in the Aegean. A
significant spike in violations of Greek air space and harassment of
Greek fighter jets by Turkish aircraft in recent months has strained
ties between Athens and Ankara.