Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement on Turkey’s new illegal Navtex (12 October 2020)

Turkey’s new illegal Navtex for illegal surveys south of Kastelorizo on Greece’s continental shelf, just 6.5 nautical miles from Greek shores, constitutes a major escalation and direct threat to peace and security in the region.

Just a few days after the meeting between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Greece and Turkey, during which the Turkish side committed to proposing a date for the exploratory talks, Turkey’s unreliability and the fact that it does not sincerely desire dialogue have once again become evident. Turkey is persisting with the use of aggressive and illegal tactics of past centuries, thus confirming its role as the prime factor for instability and violation of international legality in the region. From Libya to the Aegean and Cyprus, Syria, Iraq and now Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkey systematically ignores International Law, the International Law of the Sea and the rules of good neighbourly relations. It undermines every effort towards dialogue, defying the calls of the International Community. It is provocatively indifferent to the urgings of the European Union for compliance with international legality, as a self-evident condition for any step of progress in EU-Turkey relations.

We call on Turkey to immediately reverse its decision.

To immediately cease its illegal actions, through which it is systematically undermining peace and security in the region.

As a modern European state, Greece will not be blackmailed. It will continue to defend its sovereignty and its sovereign rights, while at the same time contributing to the consolidation of regional security and stability.