Turkey to Map Out Marine Parks in Response to Greece's Aegean Plan

Turkish authorities plan to establish their own marine parks in the region, reacting to Greece's announcement of creating a marine park in the Aegean Sea, according to an anonymous Turkish official quoted by Daily Sabah.

A Turkish diplomatic source informed Sabah that Greece's move was considered a unilateral decision by Turkey because Ankara had not been consulted or given prior notice.

During an international oceans conference held in Athens in April, Greece revealed plans to establish two sizable marine parks with the goal of preserving biodiversity and marine ecosystems under a 780-million-euro program.

The proposal calls for the creation of one marine park in the Aegean Sea and another in the Ionian Sea, bringing the total protected marine area to over 30% of its waters.

The first will consist of 11 groups of deserted islands and islets stretching from west of Milos to Nisyros, known for its varied biodiversity and dubbed "the Greek Galapagos." The second will cover an area stretching from north of Kefalonia to Kythera and Antikythera.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated earlier this month that Turkey did not view the plan as a "innocent environmental project," but rather as something that could potentially cross his country's "red line."

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis has maintained that the project is purely environmental.