ATHENS — Greece and Turkey have concluded a rare military exercise.

Officials said the Turkish and Greek militaries conducted a joint exercise to test their response to a natural disaster, Middle East Newsline reported. They said the exercise, which took place on May 14 in Athens, was part of efforts to ease tension and enhance cooperation between the neighboring NATO members.

"The exercise showed that the two teams can cooperate in the future if needed," Lt. Col. Georgios Beldekos, deputy commander of the Greek military unit, said.

The Turkish Army and Greek Air Force joined in the exercise, which envisioned a response to an earthquake. Turkey sent a 12-member search and rescue team. The Hellenic Air Force contributed special forces and equipment to locate mock victims of the earthquake.

Over the last two years, Greece and Turkey have sought to demonstrate military cooperation as part of an effort to bolster confidence between the longtime rivals. Two similar crisis management exercises were held in Ankara in 2006.

The Greek Defense Ministry said Hellenic Chief of Staff Gen. Gen. Dimitrios Grapsas was scheduled to visit Turkey on May 25. The ministry said in a May 16 statement that Grapsas would meet his Turkish counterpart, Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, during his four-day meeting, meant to focus on "ways to improve mutual trust and understanding."

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