Greece says Turkish F-16s harass EU immigration patrols
(ATHENS) - Greece on Friday accused Turkey of interfering with European Union immigration patrols by sending fighter jets to intercept aircraft monitoring the bloc's southeastern sea borders.
Two Turkish F-16s flew alongside the aircraft from the Frontex force on Friday morning after it refused to leave its flight zone despite 16 Turkish radar warnings for it do so, the Greek defence ministry said in a statement.
The Turkish planes left when two Greek fighters arrived, the ministry said, adding that the incident took place over the Greek island of Farmakonisi, which lies about 10 kilometres (six miles) off the Turkish coast.
Thousands of would-be migrants and asylum seekers from war-torn regions in Africa, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent land on Greek shores every year after sailing from the neighbouring Turkish coast.
Greece says Turkey is refusing to honour a migrant readmittance protocol signed a decade ago and has in the past accused Ankara of harassing aircraft belonging to EU border agency Frontex.
Athens and Ankara normalised their relations in 1999 but continue to disagree on sovereignty in some areas of the Aegean.
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