On 15 August, the exchange of diplomatic accusations between Armenia and Turkey continued as Yerevan voiced its support for Greece and Cyprus in their dispute with Ankara over the latter’s Mediterranean gas and oil search effort, reported the Armenian Radio Free Europe.

“We closely follow the latest developments and naval mobilization in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean caused by the Turkish illegal and provocative actions. This destabilizing posturing in the Eastern Mediterranean manifests continued aggressive and expansionist policy that Turkey has been pursuing in its neighbouring regions,” Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The following day a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hami Aksoy issued a statement in response to Armenia’s claims. “Coming after the examples of the United Arab Emirates and France, the fact that Armenia, a country with no coastline to any sea, presumes itself worthy of speaking about the Eastern Mediterranean, unravels the dimensions of an insidious alliance that is being attempted to be forged against Turkey,” he said.

Aksoy added that Armenia has “a fallacious perception of the global geography and its place in it.” “The issue at hand is the Eastern Mediterranean, not Lake Sevan,” he commented. In addition, Aksoy once again reminded that his country “supports fraternal Azerbaijan with all its might.”

To note, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently said that a new format is needed to contain Turkey, and one of them is forming the coalition in the Mediterranean. Earlier, Armenia, Greece and Cyprus announced the establishment of a new trilateral format. The first high level summit with heads of state and government was supposed to take place in January 2020 in Armenia but was postponed.

Just five days earlier, Armenia and Turkey exchanged diplomatic accusations on the 100 year anniversary of the Treaty of Sèvres (Caucasus Watch reported).