By Antonis Antzolettos

If the “hot” summer in the Greek -Turkish field is over, it is not certain that the same will happen for autumn. The “alarm” that was sounded at the end of last week with aeronautical exercises in the southeast of Karpathos was a clear “signal” from Ankara in relation to its intentions. Not that the NAVTEX – ANTAVTEX tactic is unknown on the Greek side. Erdogan is consistently trying to cause tensions whenever he can in the Aegean and open many fronts. It just at this time seems to be more confident using all the negotiating power it has in the Middle East and Ukraine. At the same time he thinks he can have much better access to Washington than the Biden Governance period. Hakan Fidan’s provocative rhetoric worked “awakening” and essentially put an end to the “calm waters” that were far from misleading.

Turkey’s move is more interesting than the fact that this maritime area is scheduled to take place on September 15-16, the great aeronautical exercise “Eunning” with the participation of Greece-France-Italy and Cyprus. The message is one and specific by Ankara: there can be no energy movements – farms in the wider area for no reason.

The attempted “BRA de Fer” southeast of Karpathos cannot be disconnected from the forthcoming re -launch of the Pontic of the Greece -Cyprus electric interconnection cable that has a European stamp and attempted to cancel the Turkish side. The countries that will participate in the “prosperity” exercise are involved. What do they not want and bother, among other things, the Turks from this huge work? Europe’s connection to Israel, which will enhance even more the ties of the opposing country with Greece. The episodes recorded in Kaso do not leave much room for complacency in Athens and the autumn months have been justly described as “red” at the level of diplomatic and military readiness. Ankara’s strategy to highlight the area as “problematic” and imposing its own will through a dynamic presence is timeless.

Turkey’s negative influence in Libya has now entered into the multifactorial “equation” that has now expanded to its eastern part and to the General Haphtar. Of the Turkolibych Memorandum, though illegal without being able to produce a result based on international sea law, continues to “suffer” the Greek side, as it attempts to trap the Greek islands within the limited boundaries of the 6 nautical seaside zones. The participation of American Chevron in the surveys south of Crete is crucial, as it will put a “brake” on many of the neighbors’ designs.

With the Cyprus issue remaining the big “thorn” and Turkey continuing to provoke, the migration, but also the tensions and the ownership regime in Sinai monastery continuing to worry about the fronts. In relation to Ankara, it is not evident in this environment that a meaningful dialogue can take place with the date for the Supreme Cooperation Council between the two sides to remain open. Perhaps the forthcoming appointment of Mitsotakis – Erdogan in New York, after the 20th of the month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, prove to be decisive.