Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Greek planes ordered back, as Turkish fighters block them in Destined Glory exercise
by ANA
Posted: Friday, October 20, 2000 11:02 am CST

Athens, 19/10/2000 (ANA)

Greek war planes did not complete their scheduled mission in NATOs Destined Glory 2000 military exercise on Wednesday as Turkish fighter planes were launched to block the corridor Greek planes were using, according to press reports.

The Greek planes returned to base without completing their mission and the Greek defense ministry requested clarification from NATOs highest administrative levels, in order to act in securing Greek national interests.

The Greek planes flew over the eastern Aegean Greek island of Limnos and entered the Flight Information Region (FIR) of Ankara to simulate a planned bombing run in the exercise, which is taking place in Turkey.

When, however, the Greek planes entered Turkish FIR space, Turkish planes were launched to intercept them, at that point the US sub-commander of the 6th CAOC based at Eski Sehir, contacted via the AWACS patrol aircraft in the region and requested of the Greek planes to turn back, the reports added.

Last week Greece issued an ultimatum, threatening to leave the exercise all together, if Ankaras demand for changes in pre-determined flight corridors, that passed over two strategically placed Greek islands, Limnos and Ikaria, was met.

Greece, however, on Tuesday accepted a NATO proposal to rescind its ultimatum issued last Thursday to the NATO command for a reinstatement of the agreed to planning for the alliance exercise based and managed in neighboring Turkey.

According to the Greek general staff, the flight corridors in which NATO fighters were planned to operate during the maneuver, code-named Destined Glory 2000, had been agreed upon during the planning stages of the exercise without any objection.

Athens has vehemently criticized past attempts by Ankara over the years to exclude Greek territory, airspace and territorial waters from NATO planning, saying such actions aim to undermine Greek sovereignty in the Aegean.

Greek Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos, on Tuesday evening said that with negotiations, Greece achieved a new framework of participation in the exercise.

It secured that with the responsibility of the National Commander of Greece, Greek aircraft would participate in the exercise, making full use of the initially agreed upon corridors and in addition of all other corridors, Tsohatzopoulos added.

Government criticized: The government was strongly criticized on Wednesday by opposition parties over its handling of problems that appeared during the NATO "Destined Glory" exercise executed in Turkey.

Main opposition New Democracy deputy Dora Bakoyianni, responsible for the party's foreign affairs and defense department, said Greece should confront NATO with its responsibilities and demand that issues agreed should be observed, particularly after the PASOK party agreed to the abolition of headquarters' regions of responsibilities.

She said that Greece should withdraw all forces participating in the exercise and raise the issue with NATO, which should either impose observance of processes agreed or stop the exercise.

"If, in fact, today's press reports are true that during their flight over Limnos Greek fighter planes were threatened with interception by Turkish aircraft, then the failure of Mr. (National Defense Minister Akis) Tsohatzopoulos' moves is absolute," she said.

Replying to Bakoyiannis' remarks, Tsohatzopoulos later said: "I repeat, just as I have stressed in Parliament, that Greece, insisting on the basis of what was initially agreed, imposed the cancellation of all plan changes announced by NATO in past days and secured a framework of operation for the NATO exercise which gave the Greek Air Force the possibility to use the initially planned air corridors, as well as every other alternative course in the Aegean."

Tsohatzopoulos added that Greek aircraft participating in the exercise on Wednesday followed the corridor initially planned and flew over the island of Limnos and reached the Dardanelles.

"The fact that this development led to reactions against NATO by the Turkish side is an issue concerning the Alliance and, of course, it met with Greece's immediate reaction and protest at NATO's relevant levels," the minister said.

On its part, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said in an announcement that the cause of differences between countries was imperialistic policy and its planning.

"Developments in the NATO exercise make one thing clear. That in the framework of 'NATO's new structure' the major NATO powers, and the US in particular, are obtaining more weapons to intervene and utilize for their benefit whatever differences arise between countries, although the cause of differences is imperialistic policy itself and its planning. It has also been confirmed that the implementation of 'NATO's new doctrine' provides more opportunities and greater pretexts for the Turkish government to promote its aggressive designs against Greece's."

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