Türkiye slams EU over maritime planning in Med, Aegean
ANKARA
Türkiye has lashed out at the European Union (EU) for violating Türkiye’s rights in the Aegean and Mediterranean through maps it has published under the Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP).
“Türkiye is closely monitoring the European Union’s Maritime Spatial Planning, conveying the necessary warnings to the relevant parties, and taking all the measures to protect its rights in the Aegean and the Mediterranean,” read a written statement by the Foreign Ministry over the weekend.
“The Aegean and the Mediterranean maps used in this Planning are null and void for Türkiye and have no legal effect whatsoever. We reiterate that we will not allow the violation of Türkiye’s rights with this Planning,” it said.
The EU says that the MSP is a tool to manage the use of the member countries’ seas and oceans coherently and to ensure that human activities take place in an efficient, safe and sustainable way. Each member countries adopt its own maps in line with its territorial waters and exclusive economic zones.
Greece has not yet adopted but a map showing the maritime boundaries is already posted on the EU’s relevant website. Türkiye and Greece are still in dispute over the maritime boundaries in the Aegean Sea.
“We would like to remind that the EU has no authority to comment on maritime disputes between sovereign states. The EU’s involvement in such initiatives makes it more difficult to resolve these disputes,” the ministry said.
“Unilateral actions regarding maritime jurisdiction areas are unacceptable. Such unilateral attempts will undermine the efforts to find a comprehensive, just and durable solution to the interrelated Aegean issues,” it added, calling for a sincere and comprehensive approach to solve the problems on the basis of international law and good neighborliness.
EU’s move comes amid Ankara-Athens rapprochement
The EU’s decision comes at a time when Türkiye and Greece are intensifying bilateral dialogue to normalize relations and initiate a new process for resolving their long-standing conflict over the Aegean Sea.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was in Athens on Nov. 8, where he held talks with his host, Greek Foreign Minister Yorgo Gerapetritis. The two ministers reviewed the latest boost in bilateral ties in the fields of economy, trade, transportation and tourism. They also discussed how to launch a new effort to resolve the problems stemming from the Aegean Sea.
Greece says there is only a continental shelf problem in the Aegean, a position Türkiye rejects. It says there are multiple problems in the region that require a holistic approach for a lasting solution.
The dialogue between the two countries will continue in December where senior Turkish and Greek officials will discuss these problems. In addition, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to pay a visit to Türkiye in early 2025 to co-chair a high-level cooperation council meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The two leaders outlined their mutual target of increasing the trade volume from current $6 billion to 10 billion in the coming years.
