Free Republic

Tension is running high between Greece and Turkey. The cause? Turkish Chief of the General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar paid a visit to Imia, a pair of two small, uninhabited Greek islets in the Aegean Sea, on January 29. He was accompanied by the commanders of the Turkish land, naval and air forces.Imia – which Turkey calls “Kardak” – was a subject of yet another crisis in 1996 that brought Greece and Turkey to the brink of war. Although armed conflict was ultimately averted, Turkey still claims that the islands are Turkish, even though the islands in the Aegean are...

Russia says one of its warships fired warning shots at a Turkish fishing vessel in the Aegean Sea to avoid a collision. A Russian defence ministry statement said the Turkish vessel approached to 600m (1,800ft) before turning away in response to Russian small arms fire.

Committee hears about 'useless' radar A parliamentary committee of inquiry has heard how a radar system Pasokbought has earned international condemnation as useless. Meanwhile, a $132million rebate for Russian missiles is still missing EFTHYMIOS TSILIOPOULOS Is he eating his cake, or having it? Defence Minister Spilios Spiliotopoulos was celebrating his birthday en route to Berlin on October 29. he has come under fire from socialists over a probe into past defence purchases A parliamentary committee of inquiry into arms procurements under socialist governments heard military testimony damning to former defence minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos. A US-made radar system Tsochadzopoulos selected for...