US State Department warns against ‘provocative actions that could lead to deadly accidents’

Amid renewed tensions between NATO allies Greece and Turkey over overflights by Turkish fighter jets in the Aegean, the State Department has urged all states to respect the sovereign airspace of other states.

Asked during a press briefing Friday how concerned the US is over Turkish military flights over Greek islands and the impact of these actions on NATO’s stability, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said

“we encourage all countries to respect the sovereign airspace of other countries and to operate state aircraft with due regard for the safety of navigation of civil aircraft.”

“Where disagreements exist over the limits of a country’s territorial airspace, we urge coordination and discussion, not provocative actions that could lead to deadly accidents,” Price said.

“As a matter of principle, we encourage all states to resolve maritime delimitation issues peacefully and in accordance with international law,” he said.