Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement on Turkey’s new illegal Navtex (10 August 2020)

Turkey’s new illegal Navtex for illegal surveys south of the island of Megisti on the Greek continental shelf, in combination with the broad mobility by Turkish naval units that has been observed, constitutes a new serious escalation and clearly exposes Turkey’s role which is destabilising and threatening to peace.

This comes at a time when Greece has proved in practice its commitment to international legality.
Basing its actions exclusively on International Law, the International Law of the Sea and the rules governing good neighbourly relations, Greece has reached agreements, following negotiations with neighbouring countries, on the delimitation of its Exclusive Economic Zone. It has expressed its willingness to enter into a dialogue in order to move ahead with similar delimitations with the rest of its neighbours, based on the International Law of the Sea.

On the contrary, Turkey is showing in practice that statements referring to its alleged readiness to enter into a dialogue are nothing but a mere pretext. Pointing to the signing of the entirely legal Greek-Egyptian EEZ Agreement, Turkey has abandoned dialogue before it was even launched and is resorting to practices of past centuries, employing futile tactics in its effort to create faits accomplis.

Greece will not be blackmailed. It will defend its sovereignty and its sovereign rights.
We call on Turkey to immediately cease its illegal activities, which undermine peace and security in the region.