POLITICS: Greece says Turkish claims in the East Med are “legally unfounded”””

Greece has officially responded to Turkish claims over the extent of its continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean dismissing them as “legally unfounded, incorrect and arbitrary”.

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Greek ambassador Dionysios Kalamvrezos said the Turkish allegations contained in a letter dated March 18, regarding the limits of its continental shelf in the East Med are “legally unfounded, incorrect and arbitrary to the extent that they disregard Greece’s sovereign rights in the area, and in particular the legitimate maritime zones of the Dodecanese islands”.

Ankara also lays claim to areas which are within the Republic of Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone.

Greece’s letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, “according to a well-established principle of the law of the sea, islands, regardless of their size, have full entitlement to maritime zones (continental shelf/exclusive economic zone), as other land territory.”

It said Turkey’s stance was tantamount to “open interference with the right of Greece to effect delimitation agreements with third States on the basis of international law and without prejudice to the sovereign rights of such States.”

Greece said it would settle any outstanding issue with its neighbours in “good faith and in accordance with international law”.

Athens said it considers Turkish allegations as “void of any legal consequences as to Greece’s sovereign rights and calls upon Turkey to respect the sovereign rights of all States in the said maritime area in accordance with international law”. (source CNA)