Press Release (96)107 6 July 1996

Announcement by NATO Spokesman The Secretary General of NATO, Javier Solana, in an effort to contribute to a reduction of tensions between Greece and Turkey, has proposed to both countries not to conduct national exercises in the high seas and the international airspace of the Aegean during the peak tourist period from 1 July to 1 September. This would constitute the partial resumption of a memorandum of understanding concluded in 1988 by the Foreign Ministers of both countries. The Secretary General is pleased to be able to announce that both countries have agreed to this proposal. He hopes this will prepare the ground for further confidence-building steps between Greece and Turkey in conformity with the Papoulias-Yilmaz agreements of 1988.