{"id":56930,"date":"2021-03-25T19:23:35","date_gmt":"2021-03-25T19:23:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/03\/25\/playing-both-sides-will-saudi-greek-drills-impact-ties-with-turkey\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T16:16:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T16:16:41","slug":"playing-both-sides-will-saudi-greek-drills-impact-ties-with-turkey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/mideast-africa\/2021\/03\/25\/playing-both-sides-will-saudi-greek-drills-impact-ties-with-turkey\/","title":{"rendered":"Playing both sides: Will Saudi-Greek drills impact ties with Turkey?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BEIRUT \u2014 The Saudi military has had a busy March, conducting eight exercises involving simulated attacks on oil facilities<\/a> and interoperability drills with other nations. Observers say the reason for the kingdom\u2019s activity of late is twofold: strengthen geopolitical relations and prepare for asymmetric threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as Saudi Arabia drills alongside its neighbors, the country may have to deal with Mediterranean rivals Turkey and Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tension between Greece and Turkey flared last year over maritime boundaries and energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean, leading to a military buildup in the area that featured warships from the two countries facing off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in a sign that relations might improve, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said March 17 that his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias, is set to visit Turkey on April 14. The announcement came after senior Turkish and Greek diplomats held exploratory talks in Athens \u2014 part of a series of such meetings designed to build trust between the neighboring countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen it comes to cooperation with other states like Sudan and Greece, Saudi Arabia is actively exploring how to strengthen bilateral and multilateral security cooperation with regional states that share similar concerns about Turkey flexing its muscles in the Mediterranean and the Red sea. It is all these states\u2019 interests to try to cooperate in the maritime domain,\u201d said Aram Nerguizian, a senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nerguizian also said the Saudi exercises should be viewed in the context of the kingdom facing the threats of irregular warfare and drone attacks, such as terrorist groups and the Sept. 14, 2019, attack on Saudi Arabia\u2019s Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIncreased cooperation with countries like the United States, France and neighboring [United Arab Emirates] fits within the context of addressing both conventional challenges tied to the readiness of Saudi forces and, in the larger context, of trying to adapt tactics and cooperation with allies to deal with an increasing number of irregular threats,\u201d he told Defense News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, satellite image from Planet Labs Inc. shows thick black smoke rising from Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq oil processing facility in Buqyaq, Saudi Arabia. (Planet Labs Inc via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What took place this month?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Saudi and French navies joined forces March 10 for White Shark 21 to enhance security cooperation in the region. And the Saudi and Sudanese navies kicked off Al-Fulk 4 on March 21 at King Faisal Naval Base, where the two services practiced ship inspections, fighting in urban areas and in buildings, and combat patrols. They also tested their primary and secondary weaponry skills, as reported by the official Saudi Press Agency. Days later, on March 23, Saudi Arabia\u2019s Western Fleet participated in Red Sea drills with its Indonesian counterpart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As practice against attacks on oil facilities, the Royal Saudi Navy conducted a joint military drill with domestic units, including the Interior Ministry\u2019s Eastern Province Border Guards, the Presidency of State Security, as well as the Energy Ministry represented by Saudi Aramco and the Aramco Gulf Operations Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For its part, the Royal Saudi Air Force carried out a joint military exercise with the U.S. Air Force to raise the level of joint combat readiness and boost cooperation. The Royal Saudi Air Force also brought its F-15s to the UAE for the Desert Flag exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\t