Aegean

Turkey does not want to be the one to escalate tension with Greece but also will not "bow to any fait accompli," Defense Minister Fikri Işık told the Hürriyet Daily News on Feb. 1.

Only a few hours after the visit of Greek Defence Minster Panos Kammenos flew over the isles of Imia in the eastern Aegean Sea, Wednesday to commemorate the 1996 crisis, and the response by Turkey by dispatching F-16 fighter jets in multiple violations of Greek air space, Turkey is continuing to raise tensions.

Failure to follow procedures and lapses at key decision-making centers were the main mistakes made during the Imia crisis, which brought Greece and neighboring Turkey to the brink of war in 1996.

The same shortcomings became painfully evident on Sunday after a Turkish gunboat carrying Turkey's Chief of General Staff sailed into Greek waters and around the eastern Aegean islets.

Greece has criticized the Jan. 29 visit of Turkey's top brass to the Aegean islets of Kardak, which is claimed by both countries, describing it as a "serious violation."

European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos on Wednesday expressed concern about conditions in which hundreds of migrants are living on Aegean islands but also praised the Moria center on Lesvos as "a model settlement," adding that plans to reduce crowding at Greek facilities would improve quality of life and ease tensions.

A CIA declassified National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) over the Greece-Turkey Balance of Power after the Aegean crisis of 1987.

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A total of 130 migrants arrived on the islands of the northern Aegean from neighboring Turkey on Sunday, according to government figures that were made public on Monday.

Of the 130, 102 landed on Lesvos and 28 on Chios.

According to police records, a total of 10,780 migrants who have reached the Aegean islands have submitted applications for asylum.

The Greek Minister of Shipping declared that Greece is working on development plans for certain uninhabited islands that have the potential to support economic activity.

The year began with protests against pension reform and ended with the government handing a 617-million-euro bonus to pensioners. In general, 2016 had a back-and-forth feel about it. The government wrapped up the first program review but failed to conclude negotiations on the second assessment. They will drag on into 2017.

Turkey opened its doors to Syrians and started granting them entry in April 2011. Since then, Turkey continues to allow Syrians to enter the country by strictly adhering to international law, particularly to the principle of non-refoulement.