Now, Turkey stages military exercises in eastern Mediterranean amid tensions with Greece

Turkey on Saturday launched new military manoeuvres in the eastern Mediterranean expected to last two weeks, in a sign that heightened tensions between Ankara and Athens were likely to continue.

A dispute over maritime borders and gas drilling rights has reignited the long-running rivalry between Greece and Turkey, with the two neighbours staging rival naval drills.

In a message on NAVTEX, the international maritime navigational telex system, Turkey said it would carry out "shooting exercises" from Saturday until September 11 in a zone off the southern Turkish town of Anamur, north of the island of Cyprus.

Ankara already announced on Thursday that military exercises would take place on Tuesday and Wednesday in a zone further east.

In a sign of the volatility of the situation, Turkey's defence ministry said Friday that fighter jets had on Thursday intercepted six Greek aircraft which were approaching a zone where a Turkish research ship was deployed, forcing them to turn around.

Turkey responded angrily to the warning.

"The fact that the EU is appealing for dialogue on the one hand and at the same time making other plans reflects a lack of sincerity," Vice President Fuat Oktay said Saturday.

"Turkey will not hesitate to defend its interests," he said. 

Turkey on Thursday extended its controversial gas exploration mission in the eastern Mediterranean and ordered new navy drills as its row with Greece and France over energy and borders threatened to spiral out of control.

Greece responded by ratifying an equally contentious maritime agreement with Egypt that Turkey blames for starting the latest chapter of the restless neighbours' old dispute over rights to resource-rich seas.

Turkish President Erdogan

Erdogan has already rejected any preconditions for talks with Greece.

His office said Erdogan "reminded (Trump) our country was not the one creating instability in the eastern Mediterranean".

Erdogan "emphasised how Turkey has taken concrete steps which proves it sides with lowering tensions and dialogue," the presidency said.

Greece's European support is led by EU military powerhouse France.

French frigates and fighter jets joined the Greek war games -- also including Italy and Cyprus -- on Wednesday 

Akara also urged Greece to stop hiding behind France or the EU and said: "As Turkey and the Greeks, we need to solve our problems by holding talks."

The EU meanwhile appears divided over how to respond.

Greece's push to sanction Turkey failed to get off the ground at an EU foreign ministers' video conference on August 14.

Recent discoveries of large gas deposits in the eastern Mediterranean has set the countries around the sea's rim salivating.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan fumed that acknowledging Greek jurisdiction in the region would mean "imprisoning Turkey within its coastline".