| Submit your comments on this article |
| Europe |
| Aegean Sea incident spurs anger in Greece |
| 2003-06-06 |
| NICOSIA — Greece has warned its NATO allies of the possibility of a "heated incident" over the Aegean Sea after airspace violations and hostile encounters with Turkish warplanes. At stake are Turkey's hopes for membership in the European Union and the stability of the sensitive eastern Mediterranean area. More love from the "Continent of Peace"™ Some diplomats believe the situation is exacerbated by an apparent feud between Turkey's civilian and military authorities. "It is clear we are facing increased provocation and aggression from Turkey in the Aegean," said Greek Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou. Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, chief of the Turkish general staff, said that "Turkish jets will fly wherever they want over the Aegean Sea." "And ours are faster, so there!" Greece and Turkey, who are members of NATO, disagree on the width of their territorial waters in the sea sprinkled with Greek islands. In a typical report one day last week, Greece announced 11 infringements of the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) and three airspace violations leading to eight dogfightlike encounters. At the same time, however, Athens and Ankara announced a series of minor, bilateral "confidence building" measures. They include an exchange of senior staff officers in all the three branches of the armed forces, an exchange of students at military academies, and cooperation between military hospitals. Greek commentators across the political spectrum have intensified attacks on Turkey despite efforts by Foreign Minister George Papandreou to calm the situation. "Ankara blows hot and cold," headlined the Athens daily Kathimerini. According to diplomats, one of the main stumbling blocks is the lack of understanding and the growing mistrust between the two centuries-old enemies. Ya think? The other is persistent reports of the quarrel pitting Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party against senior Turkish military leaders grouped in the National Security Council. Many Greek officials feel that "there are two Turkeys" — one pro-European, moderate and flexible that is led by Mr. Erdogan, and the other typically Eastern, intransigent and aggressive, represented by Gen. Ozkok. That's exactly backwards: Erdogan is the closet Islamist, and the generals are the ones dragging their country kicking and screaming into the 21st century. The Turkish media continue to speculate on the degree of feuding between their military and civilian leaders. According to some reports, "anger is growing among younger officers" at the appointment of notorious pro-Islamic politicians to key administrative posts. The Turkish military establishment is sensitive about obstacles in the path of Turkey's EU membership. Particular attention was given to the statement in the fall by former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing that admitting Turkey would be "the end of Turks understood without the translation. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #12 Hey Bulldog---Got an idea. Why don't we chart the history of the world on a big-assed flowchart, then use a spreadsheet or a database to describe the events and their costs to whom. Then we can map the biggest tom-wallager reparations plan, with costs and see how it works out in the end, bringing us up to date. We can then settle all acounts and then its just love and hugs from here on out. Anyone got some spare time to devote to the project? |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-06-06 17:15:42 |
| #11 Oh, I've no disagreement that anti-Americanism is unhealthy. I'm not justifying it, I'm just explaining it. What I propose Greece does now? Its current government is doing a pretty good job cooperating with the US whenever the goal is just - be it the capture of terrorists or support for the war on Afghanistan or stuff like that. Just saying that you can't expect our alliance to run on "gratitude" or past "debts" on the side of Greece, any more... |
| Posted by: Aris Katsaris 2003-06-06 15:44:02 |
| #10 What I want to know is, who is responsible for Alexander's debts in central Asia? I mean, OK he was Macedonian, but half of ancient Macedon is still Greek. Caused quite a trail of destruction, old Alex. And Persia! That Persepolis was irreplacable. The mullah's ought to start calling in the reparations. Have the Uzbeks exercised their vengeance on the Greeks? Anti-Greek sentiment must be at boiling point in Tashkent. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2003-06-06 14:33:15 |
| #9 Did someone decide that Greece has repaid it's det to the U.S. without consulting me? Or anyone else? |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2003-06-06 14:05:00 |
| #8 aris: I dont think Greece owes the US anything. You dont need to help us because we pressure you either. Help us when we are right, oppose us when you think we are wrong. All we really want is for the world to quit being wishy-washy and pick a side. I get sick of sunshine allies. |
| Posted by: flash91 2003-06-06 13:55:03 |
| #7 What do you propose Greece do now? How many more years of anti-Americanism are required before 'debts' are repaid this time? Perhaps a year or two of outright violent anti-Americanism (say, a few terrorist attacks on those Cretan bases), or a couple of decades of whingeing and grumbling? And I'm not American, by the way, I'm British. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2003-06-06 13:39:59 |
| #6 Yes, of course they could claim that. That's why you got Greek troops to fight alongside you in the Korean War, and a pro-American Greece for several decades. But then, as I said, USA got on the *side* of the fascists (aka military dictatrorship in Greece) and against the democrats. So, no more gratitude for you people. We've repaid our debt. And then got stabbed in the back. But nonetheless, we still letting you use military bases in Crete, even during the Iraq War. So it's all moot really. Whether you deserve the aid or not, you are getting it, if somewhat less vocally than from Poland or Spain. |
| Posted by: Aris Katsaris 2003-06-06 09:23:08 |
| #5 Couldn't Greeks also claim the US and her allies were responsible for liberating Greece from fascism? Or would you have been capable of doing that yourselves had you wanted to? |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2003-06-06 09:00:14 |
| #4 Oh, Greece is much more anti-American than France... The difference is that while US can claim it liberated France, it's the opposite in Greece -- Greeks can claim it supported their conquerors and tyrants. Be it the seven-year junta, or the Turkish Attila. "That's exactly backwards: Erdogan is the closet Islamist, and the generals are the ones dragging their country kicking and screaming into the 21st century." No, the Kemalist Generals are the ones that dragged their country kicking and screaming into the *20th* century. In the 21st century however, Erdogan may be a "closet Islamist" (the same way that Bush may be a "closet Christian fundie") but this doesn't seem to have stopped him from *expanding* freedoms, rather than curtailing them. It's only since his election, for example, that the Kurds have certain rights like e.g. speaking their own language. |
| Posted by: Aris Katsaris 2003-06-06 07:40:35 |
| #3 Wonder Giscard considers "Fraternita',Eaglita',Liberta'"anexclusivly French thing?(forgive the spelling please) |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-06-06 07:40:33 |
| #2 but you've gotta love the greeks: they invented democracy, medicine, scientific rational thinking, philosophy and all those greek gods. Plus they've got the Olympic games (which they invented)in 2004. Everyone loves the Greeks, and hte Greeks love America and Australia and Western countries in general!!! there are more Greeks living in Australia than there are in Greece. plus they hold no truck with the religion of peace. Gotta love them for that! |
| Posted by: Anon1 2003-06-06 04:23:36 |
| #1 I would like to see Greece ejected from NATO. It vivals France as the most consistently anti-American nation in Europe. Athens is a hotbed of terrorism. |
| Posted by: TJ Jackson 2003-06-06 02:49:23 |