Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking alongside his Norwegian counterpart on Thursday, asserted that Turkey will staunchly protect its rights in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean. The statement follows Greece’s recent announcement of a new maritime spatial planning initiative.
“We have finalized our maritime spatial plan for the Aegean and will submit it to the United Nations,” Fidan said. “Turkey will not tolerate unilateral actions or faits accomplis in Cyprus, the Aegean, or the Eastern Mediterranean.”
Fidan emphasized that Turkey’s continental shelf boundaries were submitted to the UN in 2020, rejecting claims of unauthorized drilling. “Our seismic surveys and drilling occur strictly within our continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean, grounded in scientific research,” he stated.
He dismissed criticisms of Turkey’s offshore activities as politically motivated propaganda, lacking scientific basis. Fidan also underscored the strategic importance of the Sakarya gas field in the Black Sea, noting its rich reserves as a priority for Turkey’s economy.