Turkey on Friday lashed out at a multibillion-euro warship deal between France and regional foe Greece, warning the agreement would threaten regional stability by isolating Ankara.
France and Greece on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding that will see Athens buy three French warships, an accord hailed by French President Emmanuel Macron as a major boost to the EU's defence ambitions.
But Turkey, which has an uneasy history and relationship with its NATO neighbour Greece, criticised the agreement as being aimed against Ankara.
"Greece's armament and the isolating and alienating of Turkey, instead of cooperation, is a problematic policy that will harm Greece and the EU, and that threatens regional peace and stability," Turkey's foreign ministry spokesman said.
On Tuesday, Macron said the frigate sale was not meant to be seen as a threat against Ankara, calling it a means to jointly ensure security in the Mediterranean as well as in North Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans.
France and Greece have forged closer ties in recent years, while each country's relationship with Turkey has been strained.
Greek-Turkish relations have a history of war and conflict.
Last year, the two countries were involved in a standoff when their gunboats collided while shadowing each other during a Turkish push into disputed eastern Mediterranean waters.
Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic on Friday suggested that the warship deal with France was part of Greece's effort to bolster what he called "maximalist maritime zone and air space claims" that were "contrary to international law".
France signs deal to supply howitzers to Czech Army
Prague (AFP) Sept 30, 2021 –
France signed a deal in Prague on Thursday to sell 52 howitzer cannons worth 333 million euros ($386 million) to the Czech Army.
Frech arms group Nexter makes the 155-milimetre Caesar howitzers, which will replace the Czech-made DANA over the next three to five years.
"By buying 52 new NATO-calibre cannons, we will boost our defence capacity and replace the DANA howitzers that are more than 40 years old," Czech Defence Minister Lubomir Metnar said.
"The weapons will be supplied in 2024-2026," he added.
French Defence Minister Florence Parly hailed the Caesar artillery cannons as "a powerful, accurate and modern tool".
"With a local share of more than 40 percent, the Czech industry will be fully involved in the construction of this system," she told reporters.
France will supply the first four howitzers and the remaining 48 will be completed in the Czech Republic by the Czechoslovak Group holding company.
The Czech defence ministry, which considered eight offers, announced the deal last year but the talks took longer than expected.
The French Army has been using the 155-millimetre Caesar canons with a range of 40 kilometres (nearly 25 miles) since 2008.
In July 2019, Nexter sold 62 Titus armoured vehicles to the Czech Republic, a NATO member since 1999, for 230 million euros.
The Czech Republic used to be part of Czechoslovakia, a former Communist nation.
