Rehearsal before the Athens decision to issue Navtex To continue the cable -to -bend investigations electrical interface Crete – Cyprus, have been leaks on either side in the last 24 hours.
Athens, which reiterates its determination to proceed with the project, as beyond its financial importance is directly concerned with the exercise of the country’s sovereign rights, sent through leaks the message that NAVTEX is coming to an end to repetition of investigations and in areas of Greek EEZ east of Kasos, which were hindered last July by Turkey.
In response to the Greek leaks, Turkish Turkish newspaper took the baton with leaks diplomatic and military source Turkeywhich raise a new “prohibition” in investigations, stating that “they will not be allowed”.
According to the report, Turkey’s diplomatic sources said that “unilateral steps in Greece are provocative” as the continental shelf limits Economic zone (EEZ) to Aegean and East Mediterranean They have not yet been determined by mutual agreement, and such activities violate the United Nations Convention on Sea Law and the Principles of Good Neighborhood.
Sources of Turkey’s Foreign and Defense Ministries According to Turkey, they stressed that “the country is determined to protect its rights in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean and that there will be no withdrawal of the EEZ boundaries.” In response to Greek reports, in the Greek reports that a plan to support investigations have also been devoted to the Ministry of Defense, if necessary, by the Navy, Turkish sources point out, according to the Turkishy, that “continuing the cables under military protection could increase the cables”.
For Athens, the continuation of research in areas outside of territorial waters, in an area where there is a legally demarcated Greek EEZ east of Kassos, is now a one -way street. Otherwise, not only is it in danger of sinking a significant energy project in which significant funds have already been invested, but it will mainly give the impression that the exercise of elementary sovereign rights and rights arising from the Sea law For freedom of the seas, it has been suspended because of Turkey’s threats.
For several weeks, sources of Foreign Ministry They insist that the work of electrical interconnection will continue normally whether or not there is consultation with Turkey.
Since then there have been at least two meetings of the Foreign Ministry of the two countries, George Gerapetritis and Hakan Fidanin which – as the Ankara’s reaction (through Turkey’s report) shows – there has been no change of attitude by Turkey.
Ankara, faithful to her policy that “no work in the Eastern Mediterranean will be done without its consent or permission”, demands that it somehow recognize its even indirect role in this work.
In July, he had used the announcement of the Italian ship co -ordinated to the Turkish authorities to issue Turkish Navtex for investigations within the Greek EEZ, even arguing that it concerns the Turkish continental area.
The release Navtex It does not concern sovereignty and sovereign rights, as it is responsible. But Turkey challenges the Greek NAVTEX issue of responsibility and has unilaterally defined the Turkish area of NAVTEX to identify with the “blue homeland” and to reaches the limit of 6 nm. east of the islands (Rhodes, Kassos, Karpathos) and until the middle of the Aegean.
For Turkey there is one more reason to react, as it attempts to impose the Turkish -Virbal Memorandumon the basis of which it has illegally carved the external limits of its EEZ up to the territorial waters of 6 nm. of the Greek islands. And at the same time, as it was recently done by harassment by the wireless of the Italian research north of Crete by Turkish Corvette, it seeks to impose on Greece even for work under the freedom of the seas, on the border of Greek territorial waters.
As long as the leak to the Turkey It is accurate, new and difficult data is being created in view of the repetition of research. As it is extremely difficult to have a neutral “technical arrangement”, like those sought by both sides in their confidential contacts, Turkey will probably attempt to prevent investigations without simply having a wireless harassment.
For Athens, there are not many options: either it will insist and implement the plan to support the research from the NavalEither it will retreat to Turkish pressures and threats by inhibiting investigations, as it did last July.
The first choice, of course, is the risk of intensity in the field, while the second will be a serious blow to the country and the government, at a very difficult turning point for itself.
However, the two Italian research that had conducted the investigations in the past are the IEVOLI Relume off the east coast of the UK, and the NG Worker was heading Sunday night at the port of Milatzo, Sicily.