Greece has sent a clear message to Ankara that the designation of Turkish “national marine parks” in areas beyond Turkish territorial waters has no legal effect and cannot create faits accomplis, following the publication of the relevant Presidential Decrees in the Turkish Official Gazette.
Under the Presidential Decrees of 15 August, Turkiye designated two “national marine parks” in the northeastern Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, whose boundaries extend beyond Turkish territorial waters.
In a statement, the Greek Foreign Ministry described the establishment of the parks as unlawful insofar as they cover international waters, stressing that, under the Law of the Sea, no state has the right to unilaterally establish marine protected areas outside its national jurisdiction.
At the same time, Athens underlined that the Turkish marine parks are also unlawful insofar as they extend into the Greek continental shelf. Consequently, the Foreign Ministry stressed, the Turkish action “ produces absolutely no legal effect”, either with regard to international waters or Greek sovereign rights over the continental shelf.
Particular emphasis was placed on the fact that Turkiye’s unilateral establishment of “national” marine parks in areas outside its jurisdiction cannot create faits accomplis or affect rights deriving from international law.
The Foreign Ministry contrasted the Turkish move with Greece’s initiative to establish National Marine Parks in the Ionian and Aegean seas, noting that Greece proceeded with their designation in full compliance with the Law of the Sea and exclusively within Greek territorial waters.
Athens also warned that actions seeking to create faits accomplis or unilaterally alter the status of maritime zones in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean violate international law and place further strain on Greek-Turkish relations.
As the Foreign Ministry noted, such moves “do not contribute to consolidating a climate of good neighbourly relations and seriously undermine efforts to maintain relations of mutual understanding between the two countries”.
Concluding its statement, the Foreign Ministry stressed that Greece would continue to act “consistently and decisively” to protect its sovereign rights, safeguard the freedoms of the high seas as provided for under the Law of the Sea, and protect the marine environment in accordance with international law.
Source: ANA-MPA
