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| EEZ delineation as per UNCLOS |
26 October, 2018
A war of words between Athens and Ankara over East Med energy plans and territorial waters intensified on Friday when Turkey responded defiantly to a rebuke from Greece.
Continuing the row with with Greece over energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, Turkey on Friday said it would “continue to act in line with the equitable principles and all relevant special circumstances” in delimiting maritime jurisdiction.
“On the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas, Turkey will, as it has to date, continue to act in line with the equitable principles and all relevant special circumstances,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said.
He was responding to a Greek Foreign Ministry statement saying it would not be dictated to by Turkey on what it decides to do.
“There is no advice that we would take from Greece over the delimitation techniques within the framework of international law,” Aksoy added.
Last week, Turkey said naval vessels blocked a Greek warship harassing a Turkish seismic vessel in the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey is opposed to what it calls Cyprus’ “unilateral drilling activity” in the Eastern Mediterranean, saying Turkish Cypriots have equal rights to the resources in the region.
Ankara has warned international energy giants – Total, ENI and ExxonMobil - from exploring for oil and gas off Cyprus.
Turkey also said it will take all necessary measures to protect its interests in the Aegean and the East Med from “unilateral Greek actions”.
“The delimitation of Greece’s exclusive economic zone, in its totality, shall be determined on the basis of international law and certainly not by taking into account nonexistent and arbitrary theories adopted by Turkey, a violator of international law,” a Greek Foreign Ministry statement said Thursday.
“We call upon our neighbour Turkey to act with due seriousness and commitment to the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations,” it added.
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar upped the rhetoric after former Greek foreign minister Nikos Kotzias, claimed Greece was ready to extend its western maritime borders from 6 to 12 nautical miles.
Akar urged Greece to uphold international treaties and to move ahead with the demilitarization of the eastern Aegean islands.
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