Turkey looks to ease Aegean tensions
In 1996, the tiny, uninhabited islands of Imia - or Kardak, as they are known in Turkey - brought Greece and Turkey to the brink of war and tensions have remained high ever since.
Monday (February 12) saw another clash when a Turkish coast guard vessel rammed a Greek boat in the vicinity.
Now Turkey is trying to calm the waters.
"Recently, there have been some violations during this tension, which started with the Kardak rocks, to which we gave a response," Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters on Wednesday (February 14). We agreed with Greece to ease the tensions and keep the line of communication open via political and diplomatic channels as part of a mutual understanding".
Greece also seems ready to deescalate the situation with its NATO ally.
"Greece is the country that althoug h it has been attacked several times by Turkey, we support its accession to the EU," Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos told euronews. "But Greece is also a country that must defend its territorial integrity as well as Europe's borders".
Asked about the recent incidents in the Aegean, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was unequivocal in his response, saying "I am strictly against behaviour of Turkey".
EU leaders are scheduled to meet Turkish President Erdogan in March to discuss relations between the bloc and the membership candidate country.