Turkey has delivered a diplomatic note to Greek authorities outlining its views and objections regarding Greece’s recent spatial-planning initiatives in the Aegean, according to diplomatic sources cited by the Turkish newspaper Milliyet.
The note states that no activity aimed at altering the status quo in the Aegean will be permitted, the sources said.
It highlights the alleged transboundary, environmental and other effects of the Greek initiatives and reportedly makes clear that “the promotion of maximalist claims under the guise of environmental planning is unacceptable.”
“Turkey’s rights, interests and existing legal status are not affected by the consequences of the unilateral steps planned by Greece,” Ankara said, according to the report. It also noted that “international law encourages cooperation in enclosed and semi-enclosed seas.”
According to Milliyet, the note states that Turkey will not accept any attempt to establish de facto situations “in geographical formations in the Aegean whose sovereignty has not been transferred to Greece through international treaties.”
