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On August 12th, French President Emmanuel Macron said that France would increase its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
In case it isn’t obvious why this is being carried out, he explained that Turkey should halt oil and gas exploration in disputed waters which has led to heightened tensions with Greece.
A statement by Macron’s office said that France will “temporarily reinforce” the presence of its military to “monitor the situation in the region and mark its determination to uphold international law.”
In a call with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Macron raised concern over “unilateral” exploration by Turkey, adding that they should “cease in order to allow a peaceful dialogue” between Turkey and Greece.
Just days earlier, France and Cyprus signed a defense cooperation agreement, it was negotiated back in April 2017, however, it is being signed at quite an opportune time. Both Cyprus and Greece strongly oppose Turkey’s oil and gas exploration in contested waters, following an agreement between Libya’s Government of National Accord and Ankara in November 2019.
France also strongly opposes Turkey’s support of the GNA in the fight in Libya against Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s forces.
Currently, France and Cyprus have signed a defense cooperation agreement, as well as Egypt and Greece signed an agreement that allows both countries to share their exclusive economic zones. Both of these go directly against Turkey’s activities and ambitions in the eastern Mediterranean.
France’s increased military presence in the eastern Mediterranean Sea is further made easier by the fact that the French Navy Mistral-class LHD Tonnerre – a helicopter carrier – set sail towards Beirut, Lebanon on August 9th.
This warship came with the following personnel and equipment:
- An engineer group of the French Army of about 350 men commanded by the 2nd Régiment étranger de génie. Established on very short notice, this module is particularly suited to operating in complex environments, in particular through its clearing, engineering and deployment assistance capacities;
- A detachment of EOD divers from the French Navy with skills in underwater work and investigation of port areas;
- Amphibious landing means: one EDAR and two CTM landing crafts;
- Two helicopters (a Caracal from the French Air Force and an Alouette III from the French Navy);
- Maritime access reconnaissance and hydrographic support capabilities of the French Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOM);
- A module of the 519th régiment du train;
- Fire-fighting vehicles from Marseille firefighters which will be donated to Lebanon;
Fire-fighting aside, some of these could easily be used to scan the ocean floor and investigate what Turkey is doing in the eastern Mediterranean. Furthermore, the ship is armed with its usual armament, but likely with a reduced helicopter wing.
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Turkiye has 1700 kms of shores across Eastern Mediterranean Sea but imperialist powers such as France, Israel(backed by US and EU) are telling us to stay only in our territorial waters (12 miles) from our shores. They say we should be landlocked and all the sea belongs to their puppies such as Greece and Southern Cyprus. Which international laws says this? None. We will take what is given to us by international laws and any country who opposes us militarily should be ready to see their ships, aircrafts carriers sinking.
how about you prepare your anus for hard work? you will sit in the land and stfu..it is decided…back to the steppes for you horse lovers!
You will know when an 18-inch construction nail is inserted into your ass. We have been here for thousands of years. The man to fire us has not yet been born of his mother’s pussy.
“We have been here for thousands of years.”
Why not millions?
It depends, if you are supposed to be Turkic then you are there for exactly 1000 years. If you are something different than Turkic then you are there for a few thousand years or so.
6/6/1822 …you got a 20 inch construction in your anus already…it burned all night and day…so get back to you steppes and caves ..caveman
The Greeks cried very well in 1821 and won thanks to the great powers. However, he was slapped well in 1897. He sat on the 20-inch nail.
1821 Supported by: United Kingdom Romanian Revolutionaries France Serb volunteers Montenegrins volunteers Russia
Get your facts right, Turkish territorial waters in Eastern Mediterranean Sea extend to 6 miles from the shore rather than 12 nm which is the case with Black Sea. Also ” imperialist forces ” only exist in your imaginary universe.
6 nm in the Aegean Sea, yes. So you don’t see the US and EU as imperialists. How do you call them?
None bigger imperialist force than the neo-ottoman “empire” waging wars and grabbing land in Cyprus, Iraq, Syria and Libya.
” and any country who encounters us militarily should be ready to see their ships, aircraft carriers sinking.”
You only know how to tell lies and make propaganda. The reality is that yesterday your frigate “KEMAL REIS” was detached from the Greek frigate LEMNOS …by trailer left to go to a Turkish port hahahaha. That is painful for the Turkish propaganda.
Any proof? No. When we detach your rabbit boats we prove it:) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR7Vu4T6d2k
Re MALAKA …idiot…. the date from the video that you sent did you see it ??? 12/2/2018. !!!!!! TODAY photo of the frigate “KEMAL REIS” you have to send??? for everyone to see in what condition it is ???TODAY’S PHOTO or VIDEO DO YOU HAVE ???
No, retard. You claim sth. Why don’t you prove it? Because that’s a fictional event. Typical Greek media propaganda/lies and you ate it:)
the FACT is that YESTERDAY your frigate was vaccinated from the crew of the frigate “LIMNOS”.
Dude, some Turkish sources also claimed that the Greek ship was heavily damaged and the Turkish ship was fine but i don’t believe them either. Looks like these are just rumors.
After the cross to Kemalreis dropped by the frigate LIMNOS, fully operational and ready for war, it is exercised in the southern Cretan Sea with the French! His Kemal_Reis, however, left with a call and trailers! It stung and was heard up to the Aksaz port!
Were you looking for Kemalreis? Here it is. Still protecting Oruç Reis. Come, we’re waiting :) https://twitter.com/tcsavunma/status/1293965641775493122
It does NOT say ANYWHERE that this ship is the frigate Kemal_Reis. Only the name of ORUÇ REİS is mentioned. The episode with LIMNOS was NOT related to ORUC REIS! It was done in Kastelorizo with Kemal Reis!. So this video does NOT show the frigate Kemal_Reis …. because in it there is the ORUÇ REİS.!! Tamam;;
Kemalreis is F-247. You can easily see it in the video:) Now, i started to suspect. Where is LIMNOS junk now. Is it really ok?
This is not the frigate Kemal_Reis …. on the contrary the frigate LΙMNOS took part in an exercise with the French Navy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxusfLHTStQ
haha:) Sure. You’re free to believe whatever you want. But where is LΙMNOS? There is no such thing in your video. Maybe it’s totally gone.
This is the frigate LEMNOS, today’s photo, with the scratches from the embolism he gave to the frigate Kemal_Reis
https://scontent.fath5-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/117761185_3475495792507253_6052752145922855326_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_eui2=AeEyv15-uSdttwueIDck-NOIdMa1s2-2BP10xrWzb7YE_TetEp6u-GMyHFagO6p2NoD-UJ0cvQa1cnss2jWmeamR&_nc_ohc=WYLYnwnni1EAX84JiMc&_nc_ht=scontent.fath5-1.fna&oh=e95ce306e27f0545f355947ce7f3a445&oe=5F5BCBD7
So, you don’t have a video but a simple photoshop picture with a scratch showing only the half of the ship. Not convincing, sorry.
The Greek frigate was from the right when the … waves or the awkwardness or the provocation of the Turkish captain brought his ship to the float of “Lemnos” with the result that the “beak” of the Greek frigate hit the Turkish ship in the abdomen and cause great damage resulting in it being withdrawn from the area by trailer. These are the FACTS. EVERYTHING else the Turks say is a fairy tale
Ok, so you don’t have any valid proof. Please share with me when you see your ship moving next time.
…….why should i show videos …. you have to prove and bring videos to show the world the condition of your frigate. Is she hit hard or not ??The Greek frigate from the moment it took part in the exercise with the French … showed that it is fine and ready for war.
” Limnos was the ship reportedly involved in a collision with the Turkish navy frigate Kemal Reis – one of Oruc Reis’s military escorts – on Wednesday morning. Greek media reported that the clash left several Greek sailors injured, but rendered the Turkish vessel “inoperable,” which Ankara denied” .”https://www.rt.com/news/497951-erdogan-threat-ship-france/
CAN you show photos from your frigate ?? CAN you show us what Kemal Reis’s ass is like?
why should i show videos …. you have to prove and bring videos to show the world the condition of your frigate. Is she hit hard or not ??The Greek frigate from the moment it took part in the exercise with the French … showed that it is fine and ready for war.
I think the bottom arrow points to the anchor slot, search photos for this class of vessels, they all are designed that way
I am not sure for the upper arrow, I do not have an opinion of my own but I read some people claim that part is foldable
Now show me TODAY photo of the frigate Kemal_Reis
The exercise was attended by the Frigates (F / G) “SPETSAI”, “AEGEAN”, “LIMNOS”, “KOUNDOURIOTIS” and a French group of ships (Task Force) consisting of the French Helicopter FS “TONNERRE” and the Frigate FTE “LA FAYETTE»
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=bThIJ4VWr_w&feature=emb_title
dude, seriously that ship has a clear list to the left suggesting it’s experiencing some kind of problem
check your video from 0:14 , the ship leans leftwards and water almost makes it to the deck !
lol Watch it carefully. It’s starting to maneuver there, turning right.
from what I see, ship is not starting to maneuver but it’s about to sink LOL
Look at the bubbles behind. They increase at that time. Maybe you just wanna see it sinking. But it’s not happening:)
not really I am not interested in seeing modern ships ramming each other like in sea battles 2000 years ago, but I d like to see them exchanging exocet and harpoon missiles ( I have read you have also developed a domestic harpoon equivalent weapon but it’s not operational yet )
the greek ship is harassing your research activity in your acclaimed EEZ and violates your NAVTEX, why you did not use lethal force to protect your rights ?
that way to wage sea warfare with ramming reminds me of the shameful hindu and chinese fighting in the himalayas with sticks and rocks
Because we don’t want to fight with them if we don’t have to. But at first they started this challenge in the Mediterranean by claiming everything there and Greece made deals with Israel(EASTMED Pipeline). They denied our existence, gave licences to the Italians and started drilling. Our actions are just a response to these. And now both sides are hesitant to start the war but do not want to give up either.
ok I understand your point ( I am greek ) , however you provoked by signing a dubious MoU with a Libyan party currently involved in a civil war which encroaches on the rights of major greek islands like crete – that way you only damaged your own self prompting GR & EG signing a more tangible agreement on maritime zones and forging an alliance that wasn’t there before. Now even the latest NAVTEX of yours does not violate the 28th meridian which forms the eastmost boundary of our agreement with thew egyptians
also I believe that if you were reasonable then everybody would prefer TR having a part in east med – the fact that nobody wants you to get involved only means you are the troublemaker . Usually when everybody is against a single unit then the problem lies to the single unit rather than on everybody else
about your ship and the bubbles it appears the ship at first sails normally yet it takes a clear tilt leftwards upon trying to accelerate and then the video stops, I see no maneuver whatsoever
If you have a border with Egypt, we have a border with Libya. Actually our mainland is much closer than you. Islands do not have effects on these issues. They only have territorial waters. And using Kastellorizo as an excuse, you claimed a huge part of the sea which is simply funny. The map that Greece imposed on us is prepared in Seville University which is violating all of our rights, giving small islands irrelevant areas and then the Eastmed project started based on that. Our deal with Libya may seem provocative but not more provocative than these, that’s just a response. There are many things that can be solved by talks but things seem to be going the other direction now. Let’s wait and see. I don’t expect a serious clash actually. Our government has countless mistakes but i support them on this issue.
you only have borders with libya if crete has no influence in drawing maritime lines
whether you like it or not, according to both UNCLOS, international practise & acceptable norms all islands with economic activity bear rights to claim EEZ in the same manner as mainland coasts
crete is one of the biggest islands in the mediterranean sea with 600k population and of outmost significance for greece as well as international actors – you do not like this fact b/c essentially it negates your plans to share common maritime borders with libya, but this does not mean you are right in your claims. Egypt has accepted a deal that acknowledges for crete 90 – 95 % the same rights for EEZ as the mainland coast
kastelorizo / meis and the island cluster near kas is a different case because of the proximity to the anatolian coast. If there was no turkish coast opposite of kast/rizo then it could also have a big maritime zone. However this is not true and in reality it would deprive of the anatolian coast much of its rightful EEZ. As you said turkish coast in the mediterranean sea is very long, so there should be negotiations for the status east of 28th meridian ( rhodes islands ). You can forget the area west of 28th meridian for our agreement with egypt effectively negates your dubious MoU with sarraj. West of 28th means war, that’s why your NAVTEX stops exactly on 28th and does not extend westwards
PS the anatolian coast projection looks on cyrenaike coast rather than tripolitania sarraj does not control cyrenaika, SiSi is the guarantor for east libya
you saved sarraj for now but libya is divided – also sarraj was recognized but not legitimized to sign international agreements, he has violated the GNA rules
Egypt didn’t sign an agreement with you for east of 28th meridian. Maybe they’ll sign with us in the future, not that much important anyway. You don’t have any rights there except territorial waters of Kastelorizo. It’s a separate, isolated island. And for west of 28th meridian, it depends on the situation of Libya. If Haftar is eliminated, our deal with Libya will be equivalent of yours with Eqypt. Then those 4 countries will need to sit and talk about the limits of Cretan waters.
east of 28th meridian greece, egypt, turkey & cyprus all have rights it’s not only about kast/rizo ( which geographically belongs to the island cluster of 12islands ) but also the coasts of crete, rhodes & karpathos also can potentially claim projection there according to UNCLOS. Basically according to UNCLOS kast/rizo could claim full maritime rights as well. I am not saying it’s entitled to do so and depriving turkey everything but it still can maintain those claims until an agreement is reached . This only means 4 countries will sit and talk for east of 28th. Egypt wants a tripoint national border there. Of course it would be unreasonable GR & EG sign a treaty for east of 28th meridian without consulting turkey. There are limits to international law and practices and we respect them. in order to make our existing international agreements legally strong. However TR forces your opinion, look at the reality you are directly engaged militarily in 3 countries and indirectly in even more. You have bad relations with greece and armenia. When the limits and the international law does not suit you then you create your own limits and try to enforce your terms. Keep on doing so but remember now that we have a treaty with egypt for west of 28th this area will be protected rather than a little harassing and intruding your NAVTEX.
your MoU with sarraj was hastily devised ( although the plans were at least a decade old ) and is void b/c sarraj government was not allowed to negotiate that kind of international arrangements. The libyan parliament did not vote for this deal – that’s the reason you labelled it ” MoU” . As a result UN is yet to validate since there have been numerous legal issues with it. If crete has 1/3 of the influence UNCLOS provides then you have no borders with libya regardless who wins there. Egypt recognized more than 90% influence for crete and this island is located more all less in the same distance from egyptian / turkish / libyan coast. As a result we will not talk for less limits there. Crete is not kast/rizo which is small compared to the anatolian coast and located really close to turkey
in any case the situation in libya is messy and won’t clear up in the near future. It’s a civil war with many international actors ( and influential companies ) involved . This makes your MoU very weak legally without even mentioning it ignores EEZ of crete and other islands. Egypt and Italy ( and all the countries worldwide ) accept islands enjoy rights on EEZs. Italy has also accepted islands as small as kast/rizo located in our west sea near italy all have 30 – 70 % influence
my prediction for the future : west of kast/rizo a tripoint sea border shared by GR/EG/TR , east of kast/rizo a tripoint sea border shared by TR/EG/CY perhaps in the middle an area of common exploitation and control
Ok, dude. There are many points that i don’t agree with you but anyway. Hopefully our countries will find a peaceful solution. See you next time.
Our thoughts on the “captain” Budala Mehmet of Kemal_Reis, and good luck in his new duties as latz governor in Sangario.The latest information says that he has applied for asylum in Greece. Erdo will kill him …
the turkeys have no friends—not only French, but Greek and German vessels are now involved—-the turkeys illegally invaded Cyprus:their occupation not recognized by any civilized nation….and they whisper about “international law”.
The list doesn’t include the army of spooks and nato staff that will disembark looking for any means to pin the blame for the explosion on Hezbollah.
Isn’t it a bit late for the French admin to think about International Law? Politicians can always be relied upon to display their hypocrisy in the most public ways.
This is good to see the NATO vassals fighting each other and wasting their resources.
Preparation for possible invasion of Lebanon ?
With the west anything is possible. More likely though, is arm twisting to achieve regime change which has now been enabled by the resignation of the government. Time for the propaganda that it is all Hezbollah’s fault. It is the usual western terrorist model. It all depends on the final story…and the west’s ability to make people believe it was anything but an Israeli attack.
“LHD Tonnerre – a helicopter carrier – set sail towards Beirut, Lebanon on August 9th.”
France is possible beneficiary of the blast. Cui bono…
So they may think, but I suspect they’re in for a surprise: The days of the French Mandate are long gone …
It’s time to replace some figures on the desk. Washington get weaker, so old colonial states can return.
The old colonial states are impotent and half dead. China and India are the new powers now. Britain, France and Turkey have had their time and will never rise again …
French ship is in Beirut to help with the explosion situation. Just like the British ship from Cyprus. SF is reading too much into it.
“monitor the situation in the region and mark its determination to uphold international law.” Is this another French joke that I don’t get? I think Syria would argue that point.
Exactly. We have an obligation to maintain the International usury rules of order, and here a nuclear armed French Carrier is precisely what we need in the International waterways of freedom navigation outside Beirut.