A clear reference to the need to protect EEZs and the intransigent stance the European Union must take when the territorial integrity of partners such as Greece and Cyprus is threatened, Emanuel Macron made a clear reference to Turkey.

The French president, who was speaking on a panel with Ursula von der Leyen and Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the UN Oceans Summit in Nice, said the need to protect the Exclusive Economic Zones of EU member states is essential, stressing that “we must be uncompromising when the territorial sovereignty of some of our partners is threatened. I am referring to our friends, the Greeks or the Cypriots.”

“If we want to maintain the 30% with our marine protected areas, if we want to fight illegal, illegal and uncontrolled fishing, if we want to defend our science, we must protect our exclusive economic zones. We must therefore be uncompromising when the territorial sovereignty of some of our partners is threatened. I am thinking here of our Greek or Cypriot friends. We have to protect our territorial waters and these maritime areas everywhere.” Macron said.

“Therefore, the security and defence effort made by all Europeans, accompanied by the Commission, must incorporate the oceanic element in its dimension. None of our commitments will be credible if we are not able to implement them”added the French president.