Questions are raised by Turkey’s move not to proceed – at least so far – to the implementation of those who had been announced with last Sunday’s NAVTEX for scientific research by the oceanographic ship “Piri Reis” in the center of the Aegean, west of Lesvos and Chios.

“Piri Reis” appears anchored in the Marina of Smyrna, which in Athens marks that “second thoughts” may be in Ankara, according to her. Everyday.

In addition, the competent departments of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) present it in essence immobilized due to technical problems.

Information from Ankara says, however, that Piri Reis’s stay in Smyrna is not a political issue, as winds and water currents are currently not allowing the investigation to be published by NAVTEX. Therefore, according to Ankara the research work can start at any time it is considered appropriate.

Withdrawal of two frigates

Preparing Athens for any possibility, amid concerns about how Ankara moves next time, the armed forces were given to start considering various possible reactions on paper if the situation was gone.

Proof that Athens was seriously preparing for the possibility of things to escape were The (temporary as described) withdrawal of two frigates used to tackle migratory flows to Greece -Libya boundarieson Friday night to be available in the Aegean.

Greek plans for operational action have remained, of course, on paper, but it is obvious that the stay of “Piri Reis” in the Gulf of Smyrna can only be due to the activation of one of the many channels of communication between Athens and Ankara.

The contacts are many and intersecting, as a meeting of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York is scheduled next week.