With a particularly offensive title, a Turkish newspaper attacked a Greek commander on the occasion of the joint Greek-French exercise in the Aegean, which even mentioned that "Athens takes provocative steps at every opportunity to provoke Turkey".
The Commander of the Hellenic Special Warfare Command (SWC) Lt. Gen. Giorgos Tsitsikostas said, "We don't need to send a message about what is happening in the Eastern Mediterranean or confirm that we are ready. We are always ready.
"Its preparation, planning and execution require a lot of cooperation. Armed Forces personnel had the opportunity to get to know each other to cooperate on a regular basis and exchange views and implement the evidence", the Turkish article stated, according to Proto Thema.
The Turkish newspaper writes the following offensive about the statement made by the Greek senior officer: "We will make you regret these words. Greece and its supporter France continue to increase tension in the Aegean.
"Part of the joint exercise of the two countries in the Aegean was conducted on the island of Skyros."
In the exercise, the scenario of which was to "recapture an island from Turkey", Greek and French marines managed to reach the island in only 45 minutes.
According to the scenario, while Greek and French marines landed on the island, with the amphibious ships IKARIA and CHIOS, they landed Leopard tanks and armored personnel carriers on the island in 45 minutes.
Commandos from France and Greece landed on the coast of the island with Zodiak after clearing the coast of "enemy elements" and then "recaptured" the island by advancing with military vehicles towards the centre and interior of the island.
Greece participated in the exercise with the frigate "HELLI", two battle tanks and Type-214 submarines, Apache attack helicopters, Chinook transport helicopters of the 1st Aviation Brigade in Stefanovikio, as well as F-16 aircraft, Mirage 2000, F- 4 Phantom and Rafale of the Hellenic Air Force.
France, on the other hand, participated in the exercise with the French Navy's amphibious assault ship FS 'Tonnerre', which carried tanks, helicopters, marines and a commando group.
Referring to the strategic relationship between Greece and France, the French Deputy Commander of the Mediterranean Navy said: "Today we saw something solid in the first amphibious exercise of the Greek and French forces."
"We saw a very high example of interoperability, which was the subject of the exercise."
The presence of the French commandos combined with the scenario of the exercise was a real infuriating point for Ankara and its plans in the Aegean region.
The Turks perhaps did not believe that French marines would participate in an exercise aimed at recapturing an island in the Aegean, and that is why they are reacting as they are.
After all, they have no resistance neither in Syria, nor in Northern Iraq, nor in Libya, but they don't really know that the Greek armed forces are waiting for them in the Aegean, and this really scares them.
READ MORE: Turkey drops underwater "microphones" in the Aegean Sea to "listen" to Greek submarines.
