Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has expressed his concern regarding the Eastern Mediterranean.
In a statement he released Sunday afternoon, Borrell calls for dialogue and negotiations to define maritime boundaries.
“Latest naval mobilisations in Eastern Mediterranean are extremely worrying. They will not contribute to finding any solutions. On the contrary, they will lead to a greater antagonism and distrust. Maritime boundaries must be defined through dialogue and negotiations, not through unilateral actions and mobilisation of naval forces. Disputes must be solved in accordance with international law. The European Union is committed to help solving such disputes and disagreements in this area of vital security interest. As the High Representative for EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, I will deploy all efforts necessary to re-establish such a dialogue and to facilitate re-engagement. The present course of action will not serve the interests neither of the European Union, nor of Turkey. We have to work together for the security in the Mediterranean.”
It is recalled last week, Athens and Cairo signed an agreement to set up an exclusive economic zone in the region.
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias called the Greece-Egypt Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) deal signed in Cairo on Thursday, a “great national success.”
“The agreement with Egypt is an advantageous national agreement, a great national success which responds to the efforts of Greek diplomacy for about 17 years. So it’s a happy moment,” he said in a Twitter thread.
“It is a fair deal and a legal deal. And this is the important thing: it is an agreement that clearly demonstrates to the international community how illegal, unrealistic, apart from International Law and the Law of the Sea, the Turkish-Libyan Memorandum was,” Dendias continued to say in the Twitter thread.
He then urged Turkey to reach an agreement with Greece.
“We said the same thing to Turkey when we agreed with Italy, but you can see their angry reaction,” he said, adding “I do not understand how a legitimate agreement, an agreement that contributes to stability and security in the region, an agreement that can be a model, can create such reactions in Turkey like the ones I saw.”