French President Emmanuel Macron suggested Turkey stop oil and fuel exploration in the region’s disputed waters. A Turkish research vessel started such a project on Monday, provoking the wrath of Greece.
Macron told Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis that the French would monitor the situation.
The region is in unexploded ordnance.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the only solution in the Mediterranean discussion and that his country does not continue the adventure.
“If we act with an unusual sense and reason, we can find a beneficial solution for all that satisfies everyone’s interests,” he said.
There are also tensions around Cyprus over rival exploration rights. The Republic of Cyprus and Greece do not settle for any of these rights for northern Cyprus controlled by Turkey in the region.
France also disagrees with Turkey over the crisis in Libya. Turkey has sent an army to the UN-recognized government in Tripoli, while France, Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have the forces of General Khalifa Haftar. Russia and the United Arab Emirates are the main arms suppliers of the Haftar generation.
France already has a helicopter carrier, Thunder, which is heading to Beirut to alleviate the town’s suffering after the devastating port explosion on August 4.
The French frigate La Fayette has conducted training with the Greek army and remains in the region. Rafale planes were in Cyprus for exercise and are now on Souda, on the Greek island of Crete.
Mr Macron tweeted: “I have decided to strengthen the French military presence temporarily in the Mediterranean, in co-operation with Greece and other European partners.
“The stage in the eastern Mediterranean is worrying. Turkey’s unilateral decisions on oil exploration are causing tensions. These tensions will have to end, to allow for a calm discussion between NATO’s neighbors and allies.”