Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has described the action as a “disproportionate use of force,” according to state-run news agency Anadolu
Greek authorities have confirmed Wednesday that a Greek coast guard ship fired warning shots against a Turkish fishing boat, which they said refused to leave Greek waters around the island of Chios.
According to the Greek Shipping Ministry, the Turkish boat had attempted to ram a patrol vessel, and did not leave Athens’ territorial waters when requested to do so. After that, the coast guard fired warning shots at Turkish boats.
According to reports, the incident occurred near Chios in eastern Aegean Sea, close to Turkey’s mainland.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry stated that one person sustained injuries in the affray. Greek diplomats were duly summoned by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry to explain the incident.
Official protests were made by the Foreign Ministry against what they called “the exploitation of foreigners”. “disproportionate use of force,” according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, and demanded an end to “interventions and harassments” against Turkish fishing boats in the Aegean.
For years Greece and Turkey were involved in territorial disputes. These have now been reopened by Turkey over hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean. Ankara sent the seismic exploration vessel Oruc Reis to survey waters claimed by Greece and Cyprus, stoking tensions and drawing fierce condemnation from the EU. Ankara agreed with Athens to resume diplomatic efforts.
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