Kuwait Times

Published Date: November 16, 2008

ATHENS: A Greek navy gunboat was dispatched yesterday to intercept a Norwegian oil survey ship and a Turkish frigate sailing near the Greek island of Kastellorizo in the Aegean, an official said. The Norwegian and Turkish vessels were sailing in international waters in the southeastern Aegean but over an area of sea bed that was Greek, general staff spokesman lieutenant-colonel Dimitris Bonoras told AFP.

The gunboat's role is to broadcast over the wireless that this sort of research requires permission from Greek authorities," Bonoras said. The Norwegian ship originally arrived in the area early on Friday morning. It departed shortly after midnight after the Norwegian ambassador had been summoned by the Greek foreign ministry, but returned early yesterday morning, Bonoras said.

Oil prospecting in the Aegean, which is believed to hold reserves of unknown quantity, has been a habitual cause of tension between the two neighbors and NATO allies for the past two decades. Greece has many islands a short distance from the Turkish coast. On the basis of post-World War II treaties, it claims waters which Turkey insists are neutral.

Turkey also questions Greek claims to airspace around these islands. Greek warplanes are routinely sent to intercept Turkish fighter aircraft whenever they enter these zones, leading to the occasional mock dogfight. But relations between the neighbors have markedly improved in recent years.

Greece is supporting Turkey's bid to join the European Union, a number of confidence-building measures have been enacted, and high-level military delegation visits - once unthinkable - are now exchanged on a regular basis. -AFP