NATO’s investigation into the naval incident between Turkish and French ships in June seems too delicate to be discussed publicly. Western diplomats told Reuters about it today, September 17, on condition of anonymity.
The study by experts of the circumstances of the emergency situation in the Mediterranean Sea, which almost led to a direct clash between the military of Turkey and France, continues, despite earlier statements made by Ankara officials that the North Atlantic Alliance did not find evidence of the “pursuit” of a French ship by a Turkish ship, as claimed Paris.
On June 10, a French frigate on a NATO mission attempted to inspect a Tanzanian-flagged cargo ship suspected of smuggling weapons into Libya. France claims that its frigate was “persecuted” off the coast of Libya by Turkish Navy ships escorting a cargo ship, and accuses Ankara of violating the UN embargo on arms supplies to the North African country. Turkey denies the accusations against it.