Turkey's Defense Ministry has stated that it is determined to protect Ankara's rights and interests in the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean at all costs, following the presentation of a new map by the Greek side depicting the maritime space claimed by Athens in these disputed regions.
"The Turkish Armed Forces are determined to protect our rights and interests in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean," ministry sources said, calling the Greek map "in violation of international law."
The map recently presented by Athens has brought back into focus one of the most sensitive issues between the two countries: the demarcation of maritime borders in the Aegean and Mediterranean. Greece claims an extension of its maritime border based on small, uninhabited islands, including a significant part of the maritime surface that Turkey considers its zone of exclusive economic interest.
Ankara sees this as an attempt to limit its maritime space and block its access to the natural resources of the Eastern Mediterranean, where large natural gas reserves have been discovered in recent years.
Maritime tensions between Turkey and Greece have escalated repeatedly in recent decades, often accompanied by military maneuvers and diplomatic interventions by NATO and the EU. Turkish officials have stressed that they are open to dialogue but will not accept unilateral decisions that violate the country's sovereignty and strategic interests.
This situation is expected to further affect the not always stable relations between the two NATO members, at a time when stability in the Mediterranean is more important than ever. (A2 Televizion)
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