Efforts are being made at all levels by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to “de-escalate” the situation that has arisen south of Kasos and Karapathos due to Turkey’s attempt to enforce the Turkey-Libya Memorandum on the ground and its claims over Greek continental shelf areas.

The vessel Ievoli Relume is conducting research for cable laying in the area. According to reports, Turkey has responded by sending five units of the Turkish Navy to the region, which have requested the ship to halt its operations, claiming it is in “Turkish continental shelf” waters.

So far, according to the same sources, there has been no attempt to obstruct the ship. The area is also being monitored by the Greek Navy corvette Aetitos, the frigate Nikiforos Fokas, and a Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel.

Since Monday afternoon, a diplomatic alert has been issued in Athens. Efforts are being made, according to diplomatic sources, to prevent escalation and de-escalate the situation through contacts on all appropriate communication channels so that the operations of the Ievoli Relume can be completed.

It is indicative of Turkish intentions that the vessel is conducting its research within Greek territorial waters, except for one point approximately half a mile outside these waters in international waters, clearly within the potential Greek continental shelf and even within the potential 12 nautical miles of Greek territorial waters. However, even in this extreme case, Turkey has rushed to attempt to enforce the Turkey-Libya Memorandum by sending military ships to the area, an action that could lead to escalation.

The Ievoli Relume is conducting research for which a NAVTEX has been issued by the Heraklion Hydrographic Service (693/24). Turkey has responded with its own NAVTEX (0671/24), claiming that part of the research falls within Turkish continental shelf waters. Turkey is also quick to refer to a letter it sent to the UN on March 18, 2020, unilaterally declaring the external boundaries of its EEZ.

This letter effectively marked Turkey’s first official delineation of its “Blue Homeland,” which, when considering the illegal Turkey-Libya Memorandum, extends to the eastern limits of Greek islands’ territorial waters in the region.

Turkish authorities have also stated that all research activities in the area of “Turkish maritime jurisdiction” should be coordinated with the relevant Turkish authorities.