In the dispute over gas reserves in the Mediterranean, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused neighbors Greece of malice and at the same time called for negotiations. „The attitude that Greece is showing in the Aegean and the Mediterranean is insidious,“ Erdogan said in Ankara today.
But he also emphasized: „The way to a solution in the Eastern Mediterranean is through dialogue and negotiations.“ If one proceeds with „reason and common sense“, one can find a formula that protects the rights of all. „We are absolutely not after unnecessary adventure and are not looking for tension.“
Greece should „respect“ Turkey’s rights
The Turkish “Oruc Reis” has been looking for natural gas south of Rhodes and the small island of Kastelorizo since the beginning of the week. Kastelorizo is only around two kilometers from the Turkish mainland, but like Rhodes it belongs to Greece. Erdogan said that Athens is demanding rights there “cannot be explained with understanding and reason”. He added: „From here I am again inviting Greece to respect Turkey’s rights.“
Turkey and Greece have been arguing over the exploitation of gas reserves for years. Ankara is already drilling off Cyprus – without the approval of the government of the Republic of Cyprus.
Islands as a point of contention
The United Nations maritime law defines an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for coastal countries that extends beyond the territorial waters of a country. In this 200-mile zone, one state has the sole right to exploit natural resources. If the coast of another country is closer, the center line applies.
Greek islands that are close to the Turkish coast reduce the Turkish EEZ enormously. Turkey declares that islands have no EEZ and therefore considers their gas exploration legitimate. However, she never signed the Convention on the Law of the Sea, as did the USA.
In the case of Cyprus, there is also the fact that Turkey has occupied the north of the Mediterranean island since 1974 and a Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus – recognized only by Turkey – was established. The entire island, on the other hand, is internationally recognized as the Republic of Cyprus and has been an EU member since 2004.
