The Greek NAVTEX for the survey work to be carried out by the Abeille Marengo had barely been issued when Ankara swiftly responded, once again invoking its unilateral claims in the Eastern Mediterranean. In a counter-NAVTEX, Turkey challenged the Greek notification concerning the French research vessel, which is due to carry out work for the Greece–Cyprus electricity interconnector, claiming that part of the area lies within the Turkish continental shelf and insisting that its consent is required for the surveys to proceed.

Turkey’s response came just hours after the Greek Foreign Ministry gave the green light and the Heraklion station issued NAVTEX 1411/26, setting out the maritime route for the operations from Crete to Cyprus.

Through counter-NAVTEX 1105/26, Ankara has revived the letter it sent to the United Nations on 18 March 2020 (A/74/757), claiming that part of the survey area falls within the continental shelf it has unilaterally declared.

The next step in Turkey’s challenge is even more telling. Ankara claims it has not granted authorisation for the specific surveys, describes the Greek NAVTEX as “unauthorised” and demands that all survey activities in maritime areas it considers to fall under its jurisdiction be coordinated with the Turkish authorities.

This amounts to a direct challenge to the Greek side’s authority, with Turkey seeking to make its own consent a prerequisite for the operations, invoking claims that Athens does not recognise.

The unilateral submission of coordinates to the United Nations, moreover, does not constitute recognition of Turkey’s claims or a delimitation of the continental shelf.