Greece, France in joint exercise in Mediterranean

Greece and France took part in a combined maritime exercise in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea on Thursday, amid rising tensions between Greece and its neighbour Turkey.

France's Lafayette frigate left the Cypriot port of Larnaca and took part in the exercise alongside Greek Navy, the Greek defence ministry said.

The Lafayette overnight joined the French helicopter carrier Tonnerre, en route to help Lebanon following the devastating explosion in Beirut.

In addition, two French Rafale fighter jets stopped off on the Greek island of Crete after being previously deployed in Cyprus for a separate exercise.

The Greek prime minister has thanked France for boosting its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean, where Greek and Turkish warships are closely shadowing each other over a Turkish energy exploration bid in waters that Athens claims as its own.

Turkey has accused Greece and Cyprus of encroaching on its rights in the Mediterranean, and has vowed to defend its interests in the region - although it has also called for dialogue to resolve the dispute.