Greek minister: EU must 'show its teeth' over Turkey

European Union must "show its teeth" by imposing tough ecomic sanctions against Turkey, if country refuses to remove its military vessels and drill ships from waters in eastern Mediterranean, Greece's European Affairs minister said on Thursday.

Speaking to members of EU's Foreign Affairs Committee in Brussels, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis said Greece was t pursuing a military response to Turkish aggression.

"That is why we asked our military people, our armed forces to restrain mselves," he said.

Greece and Turkey have faced off against each or in recent weeks as Turkish survey vessels and drill ships continue to prospect for gas in waters where Greece and Cyprus claim exclusive ecomic rights.

Greek and Turkish armed forces have been conducting military exercises in area in a show of muscle-flexing to underscore each side’s resolve.

European Union members Greece and Cyprus accuse Turkey of violating international law and of “gunboat diplomacy.”

Turkey insists it’s defending its rights and those of breakaway Turkish Cypriots on ethnically split Cyprus to ir rightful share of area’s potential gas deposits.