Greek and Turkish fighter planes engaged in mock dogfights Friday near the divided island of Cyprus, the Cypriot defense ministry said, in the second such incident in as many days.
Two A-7 Corsair bombers escorted by two Greek F-16s were buzzed by Turkish fighters between the Greek island of Rhodes and Cyprus, a defense ministry source said.
"The planes coming to Cyprus were harassed by Turkish warplanes but they were successfully repelled by other Greek jets," the source told AFP.
State radio reported that 12 Turkish jets and a dozen Greek F-16s were involved in the incident.
As the Turkish jets tried to obstruct the Greek planes, en route to Cyprus to take part in joint Greek-Cypriot war games, the Greek F-16s arrived on the scene and dogfights ensued.
"Turkish warplanes are always going to try spoiling tactics where the Greek air force is involved over Cyprus," said the ministry source.
The incident follows the buzzing of another two Greek A-7 Corsair bombers Thursday as they were flying to the island to participate in the joint maneuvers with Greek-Cypriot forces.
On arrival for the exercises on Friday, the Greek aircraft struck ground targets with live fire and were joined by Greek navy frigates off the south coast near Larnaca.
Greek Defense Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos was due in Cyprus later on a C-130 transport plane to observe Saturday's last phase of the five days of military maneuvers.
Cypriot government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou dismissed Turkish press reports the war games were of an offensive nature.
"The purpose of (the exercise) is to bolster our defense capabilities, it is not a preparation for any offensive action. Any such suggestion is made by those who want to raise tension on the island," Papapetrou told reporters.
The maneuvers come three weeks before UN-sponsored peace talks are set to restart in Geneva.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the northern third of the island in response to an Athens-engineered coup in Nicosia seeking to unite the island with Greece -- NICOSIA (AFP)
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