The answer to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs is given by the representative of the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hami Aksoy, noting that Oruc Reis has the right to operate in an area 15 kilometres away from Turkey, even if there is a Greek island.
At the same time, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on Greece to stop the exercises and military activities “that increase the tension in the Aegean and the Mediterranean” and to start an honest dialogue with Turkey through exploratory talks.
In its announcement, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs points out that “it is unacceptable for Greece to raise objections to our country, which has the largest coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean, because it operates at a distance of 15 kilometres from its territory.
We expect Greece to withdraw its maximalist demands, which are reflected in the map of Seville, as they are contrary to international law, to end its exercises and military activities that increase tensions in the Aegean and the Mediterranean and to start a sincere dialogue with us through exploratory talks”.
Borrell deplores Turkey’s new NAVTEX – To be discussed at the Summit
At the same time, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, deplores Turkey’s new NAVTEX and calls it “provocative”. “Turkey’s new NAVTEX is regrettable because it causes new tensions instead of contributing to de-escalation efforts, as requested by the Summit,” Borrell said.
As reported by protothema.gr, the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis immediately took the initiative to mobilize the Europeans.
At one o’clock on Monday afternoon, he spoke with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, who informed him about the new illegal Turkish Navtex, with which Ankara is announcing seismic surveys by the Oruc Reis south of Kastellorizo.
The Prime Minister explained to the President of the European Council that the announcement of seismic surveys for the detection of hydrocarbons within a radius of 6.5 nautical miles from Kastellorizo is a serious escalation on the part of Turkey and pointed out that he would raise the issue of sanctions against Turkey at the Summit which starts on Thursday.
