Cyprus and Greece signed a bilateral agreement allowing for joint search and rescue between the two countries. The agreement between Cyprus and Greece fuses the two countries’ respective search and rescue regions (SRRs) into a continuous area stretching from Athens to the eastern Mediterranean.
It was signed in Athens by Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides and his Greek counterpart Evangelos Venizelos.
Furthermore the two countries decided to focus on their cooperation in the fields of energy and marine policy. A Greek Foreign Ministry source told CNA that in this way the sea area between Cyprus and Greece is being shielded from any violations.
As it was also announced the two countries attribute great importance to their cooperation with Egypt and in this framework a meeting will take place on November 9 in Egypt in Cairo with the participation of the Presidents of Egypt and Cyprus and the Greek Prime Minister.
According to a press release, the agreement signed on Monday defines the common boundary between Cyprus and Greece, namely the western limit of the Search and Rescue Region of the Republic of Cyprus and the eastern limit of the Search and Rescue Region of the Hellenic Republic, the length of which is 287 kilometres.
Moreover it confirms the excellent relationship between the two States and provides for the cooperation between the respective competent authorities regarding the response to situations of emergency within the Search and Rescue Regions of the two States, in accordance with the provisions of the 1979 International Convention of the Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) and its Annexes and the 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and its Protocols. It, also, provides for, inter alia, the coordination of search and rescue operations by the competent centres of the two States, namely the JRCC Larnaca and the JRCC Piraeus, the exchange of information, as well as the conduct of joint Search and Rescue exercises.
Venizelos told the press that he was informed by Kasoulides on the situation in Cyprus, after the issuing of a notice to mariners from Turkey advising that Ankara was reserving areas south of Cyprus for seismic surveys from October 20 to December 30.
The Greek FM reiterated that the Greek government has undertaken a number of initiatives and has made representations denouncing Turkey`s actions.
Kasoulides said the international community had not reacted to the latest Turkish provocations in the way Cyprus had hoped for.
One explanation for Turkey’s actions in Cyprus’ EEZ, he suggested, might be that Ankara is seeking the international community’s tolerance as a trade-off for its own active engagement in the coalition against the Islamic State.
Kasoulides reiterated that Italian energy corporation ENI/KOGAS would press ahead with exploration operations inside the Cypriot EEZ.
Drill ship Saipem 10000 of the ENI/KOGAS consortium began in September its first testing for hydrocarbon reserves in Cyprus` Exclusive Economic Zone.
