The NATO country members decided to appoint a Turkish general to the Air Forces Coordination Center in the Aegean Sea. Greece reacted negatively, because it was expecting the management of the center to be given to a Greek general. Right now, there are two coordination centers in the Aegean Sea. One of them is in Larissa and is managed by a Greek general and the second is in Eshi Sehir and it is managed by a Turkish general. The NATO country members decided that it is very expensive to keep up two air force centers on both sides of the Aegean, because this region is calm and having two powerful bases is unjustified.

So, on their meeting on 7^th and 8^th of May, they decided to close the coordination center in Eshi Sehir and to keep the one in Larissa. The center will be responsible for coordinating and executing air force missions in the Bulgarian, Romanian, Greek and Turkish air space and from 2011 its management will be taken over by a Turkish general. On the NATO meeting, it was decided that the management of the center will be rotational and whenever Turkish general is in charge, his substitute will be a Greek. Also, during this period a Greek general will be in charge of the air force headquarters in Izmir, which manages all the air force missions in the region on an operational level.

NATO’s decision seems balanced, keeping in mind Greece’s sensitivity regarding Turkey but obviously this separation of powers is not enough for Athens. The main question that comes to mind to the Greek side is when a Turkish fighter plane enters the Greek air space. Should they announce it as a hostile one, as it was until now and send Greek chasers or as an ally? The government has not come out with an official statement yet and the defense ministry will “probably accept” the decision but they are still denying to have reached a final agreement regarding appointing a Turkish general.