Turkey cries foul at German attempt to police Libya blockade

Germany accused Turkey on Monday of preventing German forces belonging to an EU military mission from fully searching a Turkish cargo ship that they suspected of taking weapons to Libya, a move Ankara said was a violation of international law.

Soldiers from the frigate Hamburg boarded the Turkish freighter, the Roseline A, overnight, but had to abandon checks and withdraw after Turkey protested to the EU mission, which had ordered the search, the German Defence Ministry said.

Turkey said the search, at sea southwest of the Greek Peloponnese peninsula, violated international law as permission had not been granted.

The incident is further friction between Turkey and the European Union. The EU's foreign policy chief has warned that ties are reaching a "watershed moment" over Turkish oil prospecting in waters claimed by Greece and Cyprus, saying that sanctions...