Ankara escalates its threats once again following Greece’s announcement of the creation of two maritime parks in the Ionian and Aegean Seas, as sources from the Turkish Ministry of Defense state that they are on alert to “protect our rights, interests, and benefits in the Aegean and to prevent Greece’s efforts to impose unilateral regimes.”
This rhetoric from sources in the Turkish Ministry of National Defense harks back to other eras, and it is noteworthy that there is a specific reference to islets, islands, and rocks whose sovereignty, according to Turkey “has not been determined” by international treaties. These are the so-called by Ankara “EGAYDAAK,” which include over 100 Greek islands and islets and first appeared in a publication of the Turkish General Staff in August 1998.
According to a report from Hürriyet, sources from the Ministry of National Defense gave the following response to journalists’ questions regarding Greece’s attempt to declare Maritime Parks:
“On April 8, 2024, it was announced by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs that two large maritime parks would be declared in the Aegean and Ionian Seas. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs has undertaken the necessary diplomatic initiatives regarding the parks to be declared and stated that unilateral facts regarding islands, islets, and rocks whose sovereignty has not been conceded by treaty (EGAYDAAK) will not be accepted and will have no legal effect. As a Ministry, we are on alert to protect our rights, interests, and benefits in the Aegean and to prevent Greece’s unilateral efforts to create a regime.”
Cyprus: Consistent stance of non-recognition of Kosovo
The atmosphere created by Ankara in response to Greece exercising a sovereign right for environmental purposes weighs heavily on the climate ahead of the planned contacts for Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) scheduled for Monday in Athens and casts shadows on the preparation for the visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Ankara.
