Türkiye denies distorted Greek reports on confrontation in Aegean Sea

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye rejected Greece releasing reports of old footage concerning a confrontation between coast guards of the two nations in the Aegean Sea as if they were new, the Turkish Coast Guard said Wednesday.

The coast guard said in a statement that Jan. 5 it shared video showing Turkish-flagged fishing vessels carrying out fishing activities off the coast of Tekagac Cape in the Didim district of western Aydin province were harassed by Greek Coast Guard assets.

That video showed a Turkish Coast Guard boat removed the Greek Coast Guard asset from the area and the Turkish fishing vessels were able to continue fishing activities. "When the Greek Coast Guard boat shot fires in the air during their removal from the area, Turkish Coast Guard boat as well paid back with interest by shooting fire in the air," it said.

"On 01 February 2023, the footage of the Greek Coast Guard asset firing in the air while escaping from a Turkish Coast Guard boat was shared on some Greek news portals and social media as if the mentioned incident had just happened and were a recent one,” the statement read.

Türkiye, a NATO member for more than 70 years, has complained of repeated provocative actions and rhetoric by Greece in the region in recent months, including arming islands near Turkish shores that are demilitarized under treaty obligations. Ankara says the moves frustrate its good-faith efforts for peace.​​​​​​​