Turkey and Greece have set up a military hotline to prevent clashes in the Eastern Mediterranean where they have been conflicting over energy resources, marking a step closer towards negotiations between the two. In a statement NATO yesterday, to which both countries are members, announced: “Following a series of technical meetings between the military representatives of Greece and Turkey at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, a bilateral military de-confliction mechanism was established on Thursday.” According to the statement, the agreement “is designed to reduce the risk of incidents and accidents in the Eastern Mediterranean. It includes the creation of a hotline between Greece and Turkey, to facilitate de-confliction at sea or in the air.” The development was praised by NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg who thanked both sides for their “constructive engagement”. He stated: “This safety mechanism can help to create the space for diplomatic efforts to address the underlying dispute and we stand ready to develop it further,” Stoltenberg said. It comes after the increased tensions and disputes between the two NATO member states over the past year, as Turkey sought to pursue its maritime and energy rights in the waters of the Eastern Mediterranean. Greece was opposed to Turkey’s aims, and – along with southern Cyprus, Egypt, and France – attempted to prevent Turkey from doing so. This hotline and agreement to talks between Turkey and Greece, are seen as a step towards further negotiations between the two.