The Foreign Ministry responded to Turkey’s provocative position on Greece’s spatial planning framework for Renewable Energy Sources (RES) with a statement.

Specifically, the statement refers, among other things, to the Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman’s unfounded, completely unacceptable, and rejectable claims on the issue, while emphasizing that the sovereignty regime in the Aegean is absolutely clear.

The full statement

“Yesterday’s statement by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey regarding the new Special Spatial Planning Framework for Renewable Energy Sources contains a series of unfounded, completely unacceptable, and rejectable claims.

Furthermore, the repetition, for the second time within just twelve days, of the same baseless claims—following the corresponding Turkish reaction to the Special Spatial Planning Framework for Tourism—demonstrates an insistence on revisionist positions that have no legal basis whatsoever.

The sovereignty regime in the Aegean is absolutely clear. Greek sovereignty is clearly and definitively established by international treaties and cannot be challenged. Any other approach is contrary to International Law and will receive an appropriate response.

Greece has consistently stood in favor of dialogue and good-neighborly relations with Turkey and remains committed to resolving the sole dispute between Greece and Turkey, namely the delimitation of the continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone, in accordance with International Law.”

Keçeli: It creates no legal consequences for Turkey

The spokesperson of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Öncü Keçeli, argued that the new Greek spatial planning framework, which also includes areas of the Aegean, creates no legal consequences for Turkey.

“The Special Spatial Planning Framework for Renewable Energy Sources, which was announced today (August 19) by Greece to also cover the Aegean Sea, as with other similar initiatives by Greece, will not produce any legal consequences for our country within the framework of the interconnected issues concerning the Aegean between the two countries, including geographical formations whose sovereignty was not transferred to Greece through international treaties,” Keçeli said.

At the same time, Turkey maintains that unilateral actions should be avoided in enclosed or semi-enclosed seas, such as the Aegean and the Mediterranean. Citing international maritime law, Ankara notes that it encourages cooperation between coastal states.

“Turkey, as one of the two coastal states of the Aegean Sea, is always ready to cooperate with Greece,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman also said.

Finally, Ankara reiterated its position in favor of a “sincere and comprehensive approach” to resolving disputes, based on international law, equality, and good-neighborly relations, also referring to the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighborly Relations of December 7, 2023.

“Turkey maintains its position regarding the need to adopt a sincere and comprehensive approach to resolving the problems on the basis of international law, justice, and good-neighborly relations, within the framework of the Athens Declaration of December 7, 2023, on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighborly Relations,” Keçeli concluded in his statement.