The 40-hour standoff in the Aegean

The 40 hours between early July 22 and late on July 23, when Greek and Turkish naval forces faced off over an Italian research ship's operations south of Kasos in the southeastern Aegean, served as a stark reminder of the ever-present danger of a conflagration in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Moreover, the almost complete absence of diplomatic interest from the United States during contacts between the two sides to defuse the situation was an alarming signal for Greek foreign policy planning and, possibly, a sign of things to come.

Information obtained by Kathimerini shows us how the events that led to the near-crisis between the two neighbors more or less unfolded.

On June 7, the Greek Foreign Ministry and the interministerial Committee for Maritime Research Licenses, acting on a request from the Independent Power Transmission Operator (ADMIE), gave the green...