Erdogan’s Challenge: Turkey brings forward law on EEZ up to 200 nautical miles in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, disregarding the rights of Greece and Cyprus

According to Bloomberg, the bill would authorize President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to claim Turkey’s rights over issues such as fishing, extraction and drilling, as well as to establish marine parks, even in contested waters.

The AKP, the party of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is seeking to grant him the authority to declare an exclusive economic zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from Turkey’s coastline, without taking into account the potential EEZs of other countries, such as Greece or Cyprus.

The bill being drafted by the party, as reported by Bloomberg, would empower Erdogan to assert Turkey’s rights in matters of fishing, extraction and drilling, as well as to establish marine parks even in contested waters in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean.

The move by Turkey, the report continues, aims to respond to Greece’s and Cyprus’ claims over the natural-gas-rich waters of the Eastern Mediterranean and to demonstrate that Ankara cannot be sidelined, according to sources familiar with the matter.

It is recalled that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea allows coastal states to establish an EEZ of up to 200 nautical miles from their shores. Where this is not feasible, bilateral agreements are required with countries that have overlapping claims.

Turkey, which has not ratified the convention, rejects Greece’s position that maritime boundaries are determined by its many islands, some of which lie close to Turkish shores. Instead, Turkey argues that the continental shelf should be measured from the mainland.

It further maintains that island states, such as Cyprus, have rights only within their territorial waters, which can extend up to 12 nautical miles. The self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Ankara, claims rights over any energy resources discovered off the Cypriot coast.

The United States, Bloomberg also notes, has urged Greece and Turkey to maintain dialogue as they face disputes over oil and gas exploration. The European Union has previously threatened sanctions against Turkey over drilling activities in contested waters, following pressure from Greece and Cyprus.