The message that Greece does not accept claims on “gray zones” and rejects the interpretation of Turkey to give the “Athens Declaration” as “voluntary” abstinence from its sovereign rights, Athens sent with it with Announcement of the two marine parks in Ionian and Southern Cyclades.
Following environmental standards, the map of the South Cyclades Marine Park also includes the islands China and Levithaas well as the rocky islands Black and Seagullconnected to the network Nature 2000 With Amorgos, despite the fact that these islands are administratively owned by the Dodecanese. These islands are considered by Turkey “gray zones” and Greek sovereignty is directly disputed.
Their inclusion on the map of the maritime park was a must, otherwise the impression that Greece voluntarily excluded from its action to establish marine parks to the areas that questioned and claimed by Turkeysomething that would be indirect acceptance of the “gray zones”.
After the marine parks, as well as the notices for the licenses of investigations on plots south of Crete, Athens is stepping down to exercise of its sovereign rightsin the context of international legality, despite the reactions and threats of Ankara.
The serious pending remaining is the Crete’s electrical interconnection with Cyprusfor which there is still no “light”, as well as the expansion of marine parks in the Dodecanese, where the large number of islands are also focused on which Greek sovereignty is questioned by Turkey.
But the episode of marine parks also highlights the great distance that separates the two countries in terms of Aegean and East Mediterraneanand how the exercise of Greece’s basic sovereign rights is perceived by Turkey as provocative “unilateral actions”.
The fact that the maritime park was confined to the southern Cyclades and the Dodecanese were left for the next stage, every other direction of Ankara, which rushed to the Turkish Foreign Ministry announcement that the Greek movement “would not have a legal effect on the interconnected problems” (ie ‘ie’gray zones»).
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There is talk of “closed or semi -seasy seas, where unilateral actions should be avoided”, and recommendations for coastal countries are given, while Greece is accused of exploiting global values, such as environmental protection, to intervene in issues related to interconnected problems. It is also announced that the Turkish plans to protect the environment in maritime areas will also be announced in the coming days.
Finally, the Turkish Foreign Minister states that the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relationships and Good Neighborhood of December 7, 2023, for the “adoption of a sincere and overall approach to resolving problems on the basis of international law, equality and good neighborly”.
In its response, the Greek Foreign Minister rejects Turkish claims, stating that references to closed and semi -seas are completely irregular. He stresses that the legal status of the Aegean is clear and Greek sovereignty in the region is clearly and definitively defined by international conventional texts. It is noted that the establishment of marine parks is performed by purely environmental criteria in areas of Greek domination.
Athens states that it is consistently in favor of dialogue with Turkey, with the aim of settling the unique Greek -Turkishin accordance with international law: that of the continental shelf demarcation and EEZ between the two countries. Rejecting Turkish demands, it is emphasized that “exercising the rights arising from Greek sovereignty is not the subject of negotiation”.
The fact that Greece in the South Cyclades maritime park included China, Levitha, Black and Glaros is a first test for Turkey’s moods, as these islands have a crucial role in shaping the framework of a future negotiation for the demarcation. They hold a position in the center of the Aegean and are east of the 25th meridian, which is a consistent pursuit of Turkish claims for Turkish zones of maritime jurisdiction.
Of course, as long as there is no action on the territory of the rocky islands and environmental intervention is limited to the ban on fishing activities around the islands, the possibility of a warm controversy in marine parks is more remote.
Turkey fully disputes the exercise of Greece’s sovereign rights, with the invocation of alleged “unilateral actions”, thereby referring to its own interpretation of the Athens Declaration, which spoke of “avoiding unilateral actions”.
Turkey, as it has been demonstrated in recent months, demands that the country be completely abstaining from the exercise of its sovereign rights.
The resistance of the Greek -Turkish approach process will be tested next time, as Turkey’s announcement by its own maritime parks in the Aegean is expected. It will be demonstrated if it seeks intensity through the inclusion of areas of Greek domination and potential maritime zones.
It is no coincidence that shortly after the announcement of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the Turkish state agency Anadolu published extensive reports, announcing it Announcement of Marine Parks by Turkey And promoting the map presented by Ankara on April 16, as part of its own marine spatial planning. Anadolu cites “competent” who characterizes the announcement of Greek maritime parks as a new attempt by Greece to disrupt the status quo, and warn that: “Turkey, as it has done to date, will not accept any de facto situation that Greece can create in geographical. Unanswered any steps that may affect Turkey’s rights and interests, including the change of legal status in the Aegean and the obstruction of freedom of navigation. “
Turkey by establishing its own marine parks has options for to escalate her reactionwith the inclusion in those of Greek rocky islands who consider “gray zones” or marine areas belonging to their marine zones.