Athens’ reaction was triggered by the Navtex issued by Ankara, due to Greek aviation exercises southeast of Karpathos, taking place today, claiming that the area is within Turkish jurisdiction.
According to diplomatic sources, regarding the information that came to light, a relevant Note Verbale has already been issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Turkish side.
In addition, protest letters have been sent by the Hydrographic Service to the relevant department of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and to the Spanish coordinator of Navtex for the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.
As noted, all texts reject Turkish claims and highlight the legal validity of Greek positions.
It is reminded that Turkey, in a counter-Navtex issued yesterday afternoon reacting to Greek aviation exercises southeast of Karpathos taking place today, claims that the area is within Turkish jurisdiction and in this context relayed the coordinates to show externally that it is “in control” of the area between Crete and Cyprus.
However, it did not do anything similar for the Greek Navtex related to firing exercises by the British Navy on the same day farther east…
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In the same context and due to the scheduled firing exercises at sea in Ikaria, also for today, February 20, as the newspaper writes, Turkey issued another Navtex setting the issue of demilitarization of all islands in the Eastern Aegean from Thasos to Kastellorizo.
At the same time, Turkey, in response to a Greek NOTAM reserving an area between Limnos, Ayios Stratis, Psara, and Lesvos for aviation exercises from February 20 to 22, issued a counter-NOTAM raising the issue of demilitarization of Limnos, Ayios Stratis, and Lesvos.
