French and Greek naval vessels conducted joint exercises in the Eastern Mediterranean in response to continuing encroachment by Turkish warships and a seismic research vessel in the area.
A short video released by Greece’s military on Thursday showed Greek frigates conducting manoeuvres with a French vessel and helicopter.
The exercises we meant to raise the forces’ operational readiness and combat ability, the Greek TV channel Skai reported.
The show of support from France at sea follows Paris’s commitment of two Rafale fighter jets and a naval frigate to bolster dozens of Greek ships already on high alert in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis thanked French President Emmanuel Macron as a “true friend of Greece” and a “fervent protector of European values and international law”.
The two spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Wednesday.
Mr Macron said after the call that he decided to "temporarily reinforce the French military presence in the Eastern Mediterranean in the coming days, in co-operation with European partners including Greece".
Diplomatic manoeuvrings continued before Friday's meeting between EU ministers to discuss the Eastern Mediterranean, and a summit between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Greek Foreign Minster Nikos Dendias, also on Friday.
The threat of sanctions hangs over Turkey after it sent a research vessel, the Oruc Reis, into contested Greek waters on Monday, escorted by six warships.
Greece called for the extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers to discuss sanctions.
Brussels has imposed such penalties on people linked to Ankara’s earlier drilling activities in the area.
Paris has also sought sanctions against Ankara in the weeks after a June incident in the Mediterranean between the two Nato allies’ naval vessels.
France claimed its frigate, the Courbet, was harassed by a Turkish vessel while watching a cargo ship suspected of taking weapons to Libya.
Paris ultimately withdrew the Courbet from Nato's mission in the Mediterranean over the disagreement.
Tension in the eastern Mediterranean have exposed the divisions between Nato members and have been a perennial headache for the alliance.
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday called for the stand-off to be resolved “in a spirit of allied solidarity and in accordance with international law”.
A spokesman for the bloc said there had been no change in its position since.
The dispute between Turkey and Greece stretches back decades and centres on areas bordering the many Greek islands in the region.
Turkey’s claims to the waters, which it says are on its continental shelf, have repeatedly been dismissed as illegal by Greece and its allies.
Renewed, competing claims by Greece and Turkey over the waters have crossed into the conflict in Libya.
In December Ankara and Libya’s Government of National Accord in Tripoli signed an agreement on maritime borders that favoured Turkey.
In exchange, Ankara promised military support to the government in Tripoli.
Last week Greece and Egypt agreed on their own maritime border deal.
The UAE has thrown its weight behind the Greek-Egyptian deal while Turkey has called the Cairo accord a provocation.
Ankara has indicated that it wants to return to the negotiating table over the competing claims to the resource-rich waters.
Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said on Thursday that the only solution to the dispute was through dialogue and negotiation.
Mr Erdogan said Ankara was not chasing any "adventures" in the region.
But at the same time, the Oruc Reis has continued to carry out surveys in the disputed waters, said the Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister, Fatih Donmez.
Mr Erdogan is to speak on Thursday with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Council President Charles Michel.
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Fifa Club World Cup:
When: December 6-16
Where: Games to take place at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi and Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain
Defending champions: Real Madrid
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Kerb weight: 1580kg
Price: From Dh750k
On sale: via special order
The specs: 2018 Maserati Ghibli
Price, base / as tested: Dh269,000 / Dh369,000
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 355hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.9L / 100km
Hurricanes 31-31 Lions
Wellington Hurricanes:
Tries: Gibbins, Laumape, Goosen, Fifita tries, Barrett
Conversions: Barrett (4)
Penalties: Barrett
British & Irish Lions:
Tries: Seymour (2), North
Conversions: Biggar (2)
Penalties: Biggar (4)
57%20Seconds
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rusty%20Cundieff%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJosh%20Hutcherson%2C%20Morgan%20Freeman%2C%20Greg%20Germann%2C%20Lovie%20Simone%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm
Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: From Dh1 million
On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022
The UAE squad for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
The jiu-jitsu men’s team: Faisal Al Ketbi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Yahia Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Obaid Al Nuaimi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Mansoori, Saeed Al Mazroui, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Qubaisi, Salem Al Suwaidi, Khalfan Belhol, Saood Al Hammadi.
Women’s team: Mouza Al Shamsi, Wadeema Al Yafei, Reem Al Hashmi, Mahra Al Hanaei, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Hessa Thani, Salwa Al Ali.
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 720hp
Torque: 770Nm
Price: Dh1,100,000
On sale: now
Juventus v Napoli, Sunday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Match on Bein Sports
FIXTURES
December 28
Stan Wawrinka v Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Milos Raonic v Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 29 - semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Stan Wawrinka / Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Milos Raonic / Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 30
3rd/4th place play-off, 5pm
Final, 7pm
