Turkey to hold new naval exercises, hits out at France

Turkey yesterday announced new naval exercises near its shores and accused France of "bullying" as the conflict over Mediterranean energy riches risked turning into a military standoff.

The Turkish navy said it would stage "gunnery exercises" at the edge of its territorial waters in the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said the drills were "security related" and did not directly concern Turkey's controversial search for natural gas that has pitted it against Greece and the EU.

The two Nato members have been staging rival war games in a conflict that could imperil Europe's access to vast new energy deposits and further destabilise war-torn Libya and parts of the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump spoke to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday -- his first direct involvement in the escalating dispute.

The Turkish defence minister did not say whether the Oruc Reis research vessel and its accompanying navy frigates would leave waters claimed by Greece yesterday as planned.