Skip to main content

France leaves NATO Mediterranean operation over dispute with Turkey

The French decision follows NATO's report on a June incident in the Mediterranean Sea between France and Turkey amid tensions between the two NATO allies over the sea and Libya.
A photo taken on August 7, 2019, shows the French anti-submarine frigate FREMM Auvergne (R) and the US Navy USS Donald Cook class guided missile destroyer (2R) and the Greek HS Aigaion frigate (2L) during an exercise how simulate a humanitarian response to a powerful earthquake and significant movement of IDF vessels and foreign vessels in the Mediterranean sea. - Sailors from France, Greece and the United States arrived on their vessels and were joined by the Israelis off the Israeli port city of Haifa for

France reportedly pulled out of a NATO naval operation in the Mediterranean Sea following the investigation into an earlier maritime incident with Turkey. It is the latest in a series of disagreements between the NATO allies over the strategic body of water and Libya.

In June, France accused Turkey of harassing one of its warships in the eastern Mediterranean. France says it was inspecting a civilian cargo ship suspected of bringing weapons to Libya, which is subject to a UN weapons embargo. France said a Turkish ship conducted repeated radar targeting of the French vessel as it was doing the inspection, which Turkey denied. NATO announced it would conduct an investigation following the incident.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.