NAVAL SABRE RATTLING IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA

NAVAL BUILDUP IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA

TURKEY once again has angered CYPRUS for holding Naval Maneuvers south of CYPRUS this week, an area that has drawn attention in recent past due to its gas findings and exploration activities by CYPRUS and ISRAEL.

See:

http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/new-mediterranean-oil-and-gas-bonanza.html

http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/geo-strategic-dynamics-in-eastern.html

http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.com.ar/2012/02/eastern-mediterranean-sea.html

http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.com.ar/2012/03/cyprus-emerging-geo-strategic-key.html

http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.com.ar/2011/12/energy-games-in-eastern-mediterranean.html

CYPRUS claims that TURKEY is obliged to ask permission to hold Naval Maneuvers in its territorial waters, something TURKEY will never heed to.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprus_dispute

JOINT BRITISH AND ISRAELI NAVAL MANEUVERS TO BE HELD SOUTH AND SOUTH EAST OF CYPRUS 

TURKISH Naval Maneuvers in question are part of a NATO launched joint exercise in the Mediterranean, comprised of TURKISH, GERMAN and FRENCH warships conducting “anti – terrorist drills” along the SYRIAN border, whereas TURKEY'S warships will be heading for Gas drilling Block 12, Block 2 and Block 3, 8 and 9 of CYPRUS' EEZ.

To add more “complexity” to the South Eastern Mediterranean Naval buildup, a joint Naval exercise with BRITISH and ISRAELI navy elements will be held at the same time south of CYPRUS. Contrary to TURKEY, ISRAEL and BRITAIN had the courtesy to ask CYPRUS for permission to stage their naval maneuvers in CYPRUS’S Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

THREE MONTH RUSSIAN NAVAL EXERCISE IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA, TIMED TO COINCIDE WITH NATO AND ISRAELI NAVAL MANEUVERS

Furthermore there are reports of six RUSSIAN warships on their way to the Eastern Mediterranean towards SYRIA, travelling from the Baltic and Black Sea fleets, timed to coincide with above mentioned NATO and ISRAELI naval maneuvers.

THREE MONTH EXERCISE

Syrian-Russian Naval Base in Tartus

The anti-submarine ship Admiral Chabanenko, the Alexander Otrakovsky, Georgy Pobedonosets and Kondopoga large amphibious assault ships, as well as the Nikolai Chiker and Sergei Osipov support vessel are amongst the vessels heading towards the area to participating in a joint three-month exercise. The group is to visit the SYRIAN port city of Tartus, where a RUSSIAN base is located. 



TURKEYS AMBITIONS  AND ISRAELS TACTICS 

Interesting to note is that ISRAEL and BRITAIN are conducting a joint naval exercise using BRITISH Bases in CYPRUS as point of origin. This could be an indicator that ISRAEL indeed is looking forward to establish a military presence on the island in order to compensate for "strategic loses" sustained after relations with its former ally  TURKEY turned sour because of ISRAEL initiating joint gas drilling activities with Cyprus. (TURKEY claims the Gaza flotilla incident as the official reason for breaking ties with ISRAEL.) Furthermore TURKEY speculated that breaking political ties with ISRAEL would boost its respect among ARAB Nations and thus emerge as the new key player in the Middle East.


See related articles:
http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.com.ar/2011/09/turkeys-middle-east-chess-game.html

http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.com.ar/2012/05/turkey-everyones-enemy.html
http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.com.ar/2012/05/cyprus-and-turkey-never-ending-story.html
http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.com.ar/2012/01/see-no-evil-hear-no-evil.html
http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.com.ar/2011/11/syria-international-war-mongering-or.html
http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.com.ar/2011/09/middle-east-energy-wars.html
http://geopoliticsrst.blogspot.com.ar/2011/09/seismic-shift-in-middle-east.html