For this reason, Turkey refuses to participate in NATO maneuvers

Turkey has apologized for not taking part in NATO exercises to be hosted by Greece, in order not to allow the country to provoke it.

NATO maneuvers Tiger Meet are held in one of the allied countries annually. Turkey hosted the exercises in 2005 and 2015, while Greece is scheduled to host the exercise from May 9 to 20.

The official Anadolu News Agency quoted security sources as saying that prior to each of the maneuvers, the host country will prepare a technical list on the activities of the maneuvers.

The sources said that Greece has added to the said document using an approach that targets Turkey and exploits the differences between the two countries.

The Turkish Armed Forces had demanded that Greece amend the Regulation because it contained language contrary to international law, but had rejected the amendment.

According to the same sources, Turkey decided on April 22 not to participate in the maneuvers, “due to Greece’s falsification of facts to serve its political interests, and informed the Greek authorities of its decision”, according to the sources.

“Despite all Ankara’s conciliatory efforts, Greece cannot tolerate the mere participation of its neighbor (Turkey) in the exercise”, the agency said.

Tensions between Ankara and Athens, in the summer of 2020, have escalated to the point of armed conflict, against the backdrop of Turkey’s then-seismic drilling in the eastern Mediterranean, which Greece regards as its exclusive economic zone.