Turkey aims to normalize the idea that maritime areas east of the 25th meridian, a line that roughly divides the Aegean in half, fall under Turkish jurisdiction. Credit: Greek Reporter
Turkey’s defense ministry said on Thursday that Ankara has issued a maritime notice (NAVTEX) requiring Greece to coordinate with Ankara on all research activities in parts of the Aegean Sea that Turkey considers part of its continental shelf.
Turkey recently issued a NAVTEX – a legal advisory message to mariners – outlining objections to Greece’s activities in the Aegean Sea that Ankara says violate international law and demanding that it coordinate these.
It is the first time Turkey issued the notice without an expiration date. The sides’ previous advisories were temporary, in response to their respective activities in the region.
Analysts point to the extended NAVTEX validity as a strategic attempt to shape perceptions over time. More specifically, they argue that Turkey aims to normalize the idea that maritime areas east of the 25th meridian, a line that roughly divides the Aegean in half, fall under Turkish jurisdiction.
Turkey’s indefinite NAVTEX could fuel tensions with Greece
The move comes days before the meeting between the leaders of Greece and Turkey in Ankara. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed the plan publicly and said both sides want to meet soon, with the Aegean expected to remain a key issue on the agenda.
It could fuel tensions between NATO allies as they seek energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean and impact operations by vessels of companies operating in the area.
Earlier this month, Greece’s foreign minister said its government had plans to extend its territorial waters further, including potentially in the Aegean Sea. In 1995, the Turkish parliament declared a “casus belli”, or cause for war, if Greece unilaterally extended its waters beyond six nautical miles in the Aegean, a position Athens says violates international maritime law.
Greece says the only issue it is prepared to discuss with Turkey is the demarcation of their maritime zones, including continental shelves and exclusive economic zones.