Ankara presents chopper incident as routine

Ankara on Monday attempted to present its stance in the Aegean as part of "routine" operations after Sunday's harassment by Turkish jets of the helicopter that was transporting Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (GEETHA) Konstantinos Floros to military posts on Oinousses and Panagia, Agathonisi and Farmakonisi.

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy denied the harassment, describing it as a "routine flight" which was dramatized by Athens, and claimed that Turkish fighter jets were carrying out a "routine aircraft identification operation" in the Aegean.

"Dramatizing routine flights so as to sow tension is not to Greece's benefit," he said.

"Instead, these issues should be taken up within the process of confidence-building measures (CBM) launched between the defense ministries of both...