From what it seems exploratory talks –via secret diplomacy - about natural gas and petroleum in the Aegean have been going on for decades! A former Turkish foreign ministry diplomat, Deniz Bolukbasi, claims that the former PASOK government under Costas Simitis (with Foreign Minister George Papandreou) had agreed with the Turkish government in 2002, that Greece would refrain from expanding its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles from the current six in specific areas of the Aegean. He also spoke of “grey zones” in the Aegean.
According to his book, which was featured in an article on the Sabah newspaper, the Simitis government had agreed on not extending Greek territorial waters to 12 nautical miles in the following areas:
According to his book, which was featured in an article on the Sabah newspaper, the Simitis government had agreed on not extending Greek territorial waters to 12 nautical miles in the following areas:
- East Aegean islands and regions in front of the Turkish coast.
- The islands of Samothrace and Limnos and the northern coasts of Turkey, overlooking the eastern and southern fronts.
- The islands of Mytilene, Psara, Chios on the northern and southern facades.
- The northern side of the island of Samos.
- Ikarya Island's north, south and west facades.
- Extending from the Mediterranean Sea offshore from the islands of Mykonos-Ikarya zone status.
- Rhodes-Karpathos channel, Anti-Kithra Kassos-Crete-and Crete’s channel.
In other words…. All of the Aegean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Commenting on this startling news, the Greek Communist Party said on Wednesday that Hellenes should be on their guard regardless of what the government will say or not say. The KKE underlined that “the risk for sovereign rights is huge,” considering that “the NATOisation and co-exploitation of the Aegean is always on the table - as KKE has revealed long ago - because this is what certain powerful representatives of the Greek and Turkish plutocracies want.”
The Opposition Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Synaspismos) Party also referred to the issue requesting a parliament briefing on the Greek-Turkish negotiations on the Aegean and called for a meeting of the National Council on Foreign Policy.
Synaspismos lashed out at the government stressing that it is “unacceptable for the political parties and public opinion in Greece to be briefed by unofficial Turkish press reports on aspects of the 50, so far, rounds of talks between Greece and Turkey that focused on sensitive national issues.” Synaspismos added that “secret diplomacy does not benefit the people and entails the risk of being utilised for self-serving purposes, even for domestic consumption.”
“The continental shelf issue, and the differences between the two countries that stem from it, should be settled based on international law and the joint recourse to the International Court of Justice in The Hague,” Synaspismos stressed. It also maintained that this prospect “is a solution that will safeguard transparency and the peaceful settlement of differences for the benefit of the two neighbouring peoples in a period of time when the deep economic crisis allows for no petty-opportunism or relaxation.”
Commenting on this startling news, the Greek Communist Party said on Wednesday that Hellenes should be on their guard regardless of what the government will say or not say. The KKE underlined that “the risk for sovereign rights is huge,” considering that “the NATOisation and co-exploitation of the Aegean is always on the table - as KKE has revealed long ago - because this is what certain powerful representatives of the Greek and Turkish plutocracies want.”
The Opposition Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (Synaspismos) Party also referred to the issue requesting a parliament briefing on the Greek-Turkish negotiations on the Aegean and called for a meeting of the National Council on Foreign Policy.
Synaspismos lashed out at the government stressing that it is “unacceptable for the political parties and public opinion in Greece to be briefed by unofficial Turkish press reports on aspects of the 50, so far, rounds of talks between Greece and Turkey that focused on sensitive national issues.” Synaspismos added that “secret diplomacy does not benefit the people and entails the risk of being utilised for self-serving purposes, even for domestic consumption.”
“The continental shelf issue, and the differences between the two countries that stem from it, should be settled based on international law and the joint recourse to the International Court of Justice in The Hague,” Synaspismos stressed. It also maintained that this prospect “is a solution that will safeguard transparency and the peaceful settlement of differences for the benefit of the two neighbouring peoples in a period of time when the deep economic crisis allows for no petty-opportunism or relaxation.”
Sources:
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