Middle East Spotlight 10-8-11

Saturday, 08 October 2011 17:25 | Print

Turkey Harrasses Israeli Ships/Planes

Off the Coast of Cyprus

As the week began, Turkey continued its foreign policy of challenging its neighbors for oil and natural gas rights in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Turkey is attempting to prevent Cyprus and Israel from exploiting oil fields and natural gas deposits under the sea in the eastern Mediterranean.

Last month, Turkey threatened military naval action against Israel, Cyprus and Greece if any of those nations attempted to conduct operations outside of their 12 mile limit territorial waters. To underscore that threat, Turkey dispatched warships to the area and conducted aerial overflights by the Turkish Air Force. The situation was reminiscent of the old "Cold War" days between America and Soviet Union navies.

As the month of October began, Turkish warships shadowed Cypriot vessels involved in oil and gas exploration at the edge of Cypriot territorial waters. There were minor "incidents" that could have triggered a military response as late as Monday. On Tuesday, the United States and NATO conveyed a stern warning to Turkey to halt its harrassment and focus on higher priorities, such as the situation in Syria. For now, the dispute over energy resources in the Mediterranean Sea will apparently take a back seat to other, more pressing issues in the region.

For more details on the earlier shadow boxing by Turkey's navy, LINK HERE.

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Turkish Foreign Minister:

We're Ready for War with Syria

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