Officials in Athens say that the area designated for exploration was deemed to be within the limits of the Greek continental shelf. That is why the Greek Embassy in Ankara asked the Turkish government for clarifications given that Athens had not been properly notified of the Turkish vessel’s expedition according to the International Law of the Sea.
Commenting on the demarche, foreign Ministry spokesman Gregory Delavekouras told journalists that:
“On 18 March, Turkey’s Antalya station broadcast a NAVTEX to the effect that the Turkish oceanography vessel “Bilim2”, with belongs to the Institute of Marine Sciences of Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, would be carrying out oceanographic research from March 18 - 21 2013, in international waters, a section of which overlaps the Greek continental shelf.Last week Ankara forwarded a note verbale to the United Nations in response to a similar move by Greece one month earlier. The Turkish verbal note challenged Greece’s sovereign rights south of Rhodes and Kastellorizo as well as the right of the Greek islands to a continental shelf and exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The carrying out of marine science research in waters over the Greek continental shelf requires prior notification, with the provision of all relevant data to the Greek authorities. As there was no such notification from the Turkish side, the Greek Embassy in Ankara was instructed to act accordingly.”
Turkey believes that the Aegean Sea should be treated as a special case (and that is why it basically does as it pleases and defies international law). And this is also why it granted oil and gas exploration rights for areas deemed to fall within the Greek continental shelf.
The question is, what will Greece do about it.
Articles in Greek - SKAI, Energia, Iefimerida, ethnos
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