The Turkish Foreign Ministry has protested about a six-day military exercise being held by the Greek and Cypriot armed forces under their five-year-old defence pact.

In a statement, Turkish officials said the manoeuvres were destabilizing the southern Mediterranean at a time when the United Nations was seeking to reduce tension on Cyprus.

The Cypriot government said Turkish planes monitoring the exercise have violated its airspace.

The manoeuvres, which end on Sunday, have involved ten-thousand Cypriot troops with tanks and helicopters, as well as Greek navy vessels and jet fighters.