Large multinational exercisesin which forces either from Hellas either from Türkiye they are scheduled for the next period of time and are, by definition, excluded from the informal moratorium which, as agreed, will last until 15 September.

It is worth noting that the informal moratorium does not apply to NATO and multinational exercises, as well as to joint exercises that are decided almost ad hoc, such as the recent cooperation air force with Indian aviation or the so-called “passex” between its ships Naval and allied units entering the area for various reasons.

At the national level, Athens and Ankara have already begun the mutual cancellation of three exercises, which was also reported NATO.

Iniohos and Orion

In the near future, the following exercises are known at the multinational level. First, the Greek multinational “Senior 2023” which will be held from April 18 to May 4 simultaneously with international exercises of special forces “Orion 23”.

A number of countries are participating in the exercise and their scenarios will be developed throughout the Athens FIR. In the next period of time, the Greek forces will also participate in “Quick response”part of a large pan-European exercise “Defender of Europe”.

Similar exercises from the Turkish side “Anatolian Eagle”, scheduled for the period from 5 to 16 June. These are multinational exercises under the auspices of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces.

Other multinational exercises are also planned to test scenarios for electronic warfare and naval operations with a focus on Turkey and, in particular, on “Dynamic Guardsman 23 II” (September 4-8).

Given that the focus of this particular exercise is NATO’s SNMG-2 force, it should not be ruled out that the Greek and Turkish ships will end up in some scenario at some point. Since the two countries are members of NATO, this has happened in the past. It also happened that the teachings were canceled due to disagreements on one side or another.

And since NATO requires unanimity for any decision, then projecting the position that military exercises cannot be conducted by Turkey on the islands of the eastern Aegean, practically leads to cancellation.

Something similar happened this year. “Ramstein Guard 23” (the event was repeatedly reproduced by the special press last week), as it was in the corresponding event in 2017, but also in many cases, even during periods of decline in Greek-Turkish tensions such as this one.

Athens is stable

Despite the agreement on an informal moratorium, Ankara maintains its positions expressed by Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, while Athens remains indifferent to its views. At the NATO level, ordinary things are being done.

Finally, it is noted that about three weeks ago, Ankara returned to the habit of asking all NATO military aircraft heading towards Turkey to turn off the regular joint operational transport network (the so-called Line 16) 100 miles before the entrance to the FIR of Constantinople, i.e. over Greece. A position that Athens refutes every time at the NATO level.