Aegean Sea and Mediterranean Sea are the centerpieces of disputes between the two NATO members. The two parties have fundamental disputes on divisions, maritime riparian and violation of airspace therein. In the current year, Aegean Sea with its exclusive geography has witnessed a lot of problems between the parties. The two countries did not manage to reach an agreement on maritime boundaries.

Greece says it is entitled to extend the riparian of its territorial waters to 12 miles (19.3 Km) according to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. But Turkey as a non – member country of the Convention threatens Greece according to a document ratified by the Parliament of the country. Based on the document that was ratified by the parliament of the country in 1995, such a measure taken by Greece will be considered as “reason to war”. Ankara believes if and when Greece extends its territorial waters on the basis of the Convention, Turkish waterways to high sea will be seriously limited; something which is unbearable to Turkey. In the absence of a joint boundary agreement, Greece has considered its maritime riparian claim up to 6 miles (9.6 Km) but it says its airspace of the islands is 10 miles (16 Km), the position which of course, has raised Turkey’s opposition.

Half of Aegean Sea is part of international airspace and is not under any country’s sovereignty. According to international laws, the area of national airspace should be the same as the area of maritime riparian. The core of the chief dispute in airspace of Aegean Sea is the continuous use of Greece of the right to “Flight Information Region (FIR)”, which also requires sovereignty right over a land. Yet, Greece uses FIR to proceed with its claims for real sovereignty right over the airspace of the Aegean Sea. Greece claims it has 10 nautical miles of national airspace over its territorial waters with an area of 6 nautical miles. With Greece’s claim, 50% of international airspace of Aegean Sea will be deducted.

In view of contingent unilateral extension of South Greece territorial waters, Ankara defines the measure as “playing with fire”, “trespassing Turkish Red Line” and “a pretext for war”. Turkey also accuses Greece of raising “maximum demands”, particularly when claiming 10 nautical miles from its airspace, despite (the fact) that territorial waters of the country in Aegean Sea covers just an area of 6 maritime miles of every island. Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey threatens that if Greece does not change its tone, Turkey will take demilitarization issue of islands to the International Court of Justice.

He added:” Greece lies. The country claims for 10 miles of airspace limit while its maritime riparian is 6 miles. The country has unjust positions on the issue of maritime authority and it makes effort within the EU to impose sanctions on Turkey”.

Turkey believes maritime riparian should be equal to airspace limit. But they say maritime riparian is 6 miles while airspace limit is 10 miles. It is not understandable and no logical person can accept it. During early September 2022, in a letter addressed to 25 member countries of the EU, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, UN secretary General, NATO Secretary General Turkey informed them of “illegal measures” of Greece. In the letter it is mentioned that Greece is the only country in the world where its airspace limit (10 miles) is not equal to its maritime riparian (6 miles), something that can not be found in any other country.  Problems in the Aegean Sea can be solved within the framework of international laws, recognizing fundamental rights and legal interests of the two countries. Having avoided holding dialog, Athens has intensified tension and takes the Aegean problems to the EU.

Greece extended its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles in 2020. At the time, the Greek Prime Minister claimed that following the extension of territorial waters in Ionian Sea, it is obvious that Greece can use the same right at Crete Island and other parts of the country at any time under any condition that it deems necessary. But, nowadays, Athens is studying the possibility of extension of its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles in South Crete region. Greek government considers the action in reaction to the memorandum of understanding signed between Turkey and Libya on Hydrocarbon field. Greek Prime Minister as well as the foreign ministry of the country have seriously studied the possibility of extension of territorial waters of South Crete. But there is a group in the country that believes the extension of territorial waters of the south will not be an easy decision because it will face Turkish and probably the U.S. reaction. In view of the existing critical situation, it is advisable not to implement the option for the time being.

Dendias, Greek Foreign Minister has emphasized his country’s full adherence to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Montego Bay, (10 December 1982 – Jamaica) and has defined Turkey as “the cause of tension and instability” in the region. He accused the country of “stubborn rejection of certainties and avoiding the implementation of United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)”. Greece believes that UNCLOS is a comprehensive framework to secure and formulate the activities of countries in sea. The Convention is the compass of Greek foreign policy. Having been adhered to the provisions of the said Convention, Greece has taken measures within the recent years such as signing an agreement for delimitation of maritime zones with Italy in June 2020, and signing another agreement on partial delimitation of exclusive economic zone with Egypt in August 2020. Greece has announced time and again its willingness and readiness to hold talks with other neighboring countries in order to conclude similar agreements based on international law.

Greece believes unfortunately, there is only one country in the region, Turkey, that insistently refuses obvious facts and implementation of UNCLOS. Threat to use force in case Greece uses the right to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles is the propagation of the theory called “Homeland Marine” and signing illegal agreement with Libya is an example of invasive elements of Turkey. All mentioned examples are blatant violation of international law and seriously weaken any effort for peaceful settlement of the only dispute between the two countries, i.e. specification of continental shelf and exclusive economic region.

Athens considers the official letter of Turkish side to European agencies as the “symbol of distortion of reality” and the repetition of “baseless, illegal and biased demands” of the country and called the demands raised by Turkey as opposing to basic rules of international law, particularly International Law of the Seas.

Greece has welcomed the agreement reached between the Zionist regime and Lebanon on the demarcation of maritime boundary and economic exclusive region between the parties mediated by the U.S. From Athens point of view, the agreement will contribute the preservation of peace and stability in East Mediterranean region and serves as a pattern to be followed by other countries of the region too. The agreement between Israel and Lebanon on maritime regions show that settlement of disputes among countries on delimitation of maritime regions is possible only through respecting international law. At present, Greece has also signed an agreement on delimitation of economic exclusive region with Egypt and has also agreed with Albania that both countries refer to the International Court of Justice in Hague.