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navy mistakenly assuming that it was under attack. This explanation was accepted by
Greece on March 9.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from December 1, 1982. End Date changed
from March 10, 1984.
MID#2177
Dispute Number: 2177
Date(s): December 17, 1984 to March 12, 1985
Participants: 640 Turkey/350 Greece
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Both Greece and Turkey postured over the claims in the Aegean, espe-
cially Cyprus. Turkey invited Greece to negotiate in March 1985.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from October 17, 1984. End Date changed from
March 13, 1985. Settlement changed from None. Fatalities changed from Missing.
MID#2179
Dispute Number: 2179
Date(s): June 24, 1986 to July 28, 1987
Participants: 640 Turkey/350 Greece
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: On July 29, 1986, the Greek government protested against what it saw as
a violation of its territorial waters by a Turkish scientific research vessel. The follow-
ing day, the Turkish government lodged a complaint that Greek naval and air forces
had harassed the vessel in international waters. Tensions increased on September 16,
when Greece alleged that Turkish warships had fired five volleys close to a Greek
patrol boat in international waters close to the island of Lesbos. The dispute renewed
in March 1987 as Greece protested the course of a Turkish vessel as provocative,
while Turkey complained about Greek harassment of the vessel. Around this time a
private Greek company, the North Aegean Petroleum Company (NAPC), began to
move toward drilling 16 kilometers east of Thassos, in international waters.
Turkey proclaimed that it would do “whatever is necessary” should the NAPC
begin drilling in international waters. On March 25, the Turkish government decided
to begin its own oil prospecting outside of Turkish territorial waters. The Greek gov-
ernment then warned Turkey that if it decided to drill outside of its customary juris-
diction, Greece would take the necessary measures to protect its sovereign rights. On
March 28, although a petroleum vessel entered into international waters with a naval
escort, later that day the Turkish government said that the escort had been removed
and that no Turkish oil operations would take place in international waters. The Greek
government also gave assurances that NAPC would not operate outside of Greek ter-
ritorial waters. Various airspace violations followed until July.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from June 27, 1986. End Date changed from
July 31, 1987. Outcome changed from Unclear. Settlement changed from Unclear.