Turkey’s Defense Ministry has clarified that long-term Navtex notices in the Aegean are issued indefinitely, demanding coordination for any research east of the 25th meridian and reiterating demilitarization claims for 23 Greek islands. The statements, countering Greek media reports, come just days before a key meeting between PM Mitsotakis and President Erdogan, blending diplomatic restatement with domestic messaging.
Tag: continental shelf
Turkey issues two long-term NAVTEX notices in the Aegean, reaffirming claims over continental shelf and demilitarized status of Greek islands ahead of Mitsotakis-Erdogan talks in February.
Fidan on SKAI: Erdoğan to Meet Mitsotakis in February – ‘We Want a Permanent Solution in the Aegean’
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on SKAI that President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Mitsotakis will meet in February to seek a permanent resolution to the Aegean dispute, while stressing the need to set aside domestic politics for progress.
Greece Reaffirms That Delimitation of EEZ and Continental Shelf Is the “One and Only” Dispute…
Athens has firmly rejected any Turkish revisionist positions, stressing that the delimitation of the Exclusive…
Turkey has condemned a new maritime boundary agreement between Cyprus and Lebanon, stating it disregards the equal rights and interests of Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Greek Foreign Ministry rejects Turkey’s objections to the updated Greek Maritime Spatial Planning map, stating that Ankara’s reactions lack any legal basis under EU and international law.
Turkey has strongly condemned Greece’s updated marine spatial planning map, calling it a unilateral violation of international law that encroaches on Turkish maritime jurisdiction in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
On October 4, 2025, the Turkish oceanographic vessel Piri Reis departed Izmir for the central Aegean Sea, triggering a maritime dispute with Greece. The Turkish Navtex, announcing scientific research west of Chios and Lesvos, overlaps Greece’s continental shelf, prompting Athens to issue an anti-NAVTEX declaring the Turkish notice illegal.
Tensions between Greece and Turkey have flared anew in the Aegean as Ankara escalates its revisionist claims, challenging Greece’s maritime rights and demanding the demilitarization of Greek islands from Thasos to Kastellorizo. Turkey’s issuance of a navtex for Piri Reis surveys, coupled with Greece’s surprise military exercise, has heightened friction ahead of a potential Mitsotakis-Erdoğan meeting at the UN. Athens, unwavering, insists on its rights under international law, while parallel talks with Libya on maritime zones signal Greece’s broader diplomatic push.
Greece rejects Libya’s maritime claims under the Turkey-Libya accord, citing violations of international law and Greek island rights ahead of high-level talks.
Turkey’s Ministry of Defense issued a provocative warning to Greece and Cyprus, threatening action if its continental shelf is violated. The dispute centers on the Gibraltar-flagged Fugro Gauss conducting unauthorized surveys, prompting Turkey to deploy forces and issue a counter-NAVTEX.
Turkey has declared a scientific research operation by the Republic of Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean legally invalid, halting a Gibraltar-flagged vessel in an area claimed as Turkey’s continental shelf. The Turkish Foreign Ministry criticized the move, and Turkish forces intervened. A similar Greek initiative was blocked in July 2024.
Turkey’s recent designation of two “marine parks” in the Aegean Sea, announced last week by…
Libya, guided by Turkey, submitted a Note Verbale to the UN on May 27, 2025, claiming continental shelf boundaries up to Crete based on the 2019 Turkey-Libya MoU. The move challenges Greece’s and Egypt’s maritime rights, declaring their EEZ agreements and exploration activities illegal, escalating tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
A maritime dispute has resurfaced in the northern Aegean Sea after Turkey issued a counter-NAVTEX in response to Greek scientific research conducted by the vessel *FILIA* between Lemnos and Samothrace. Ankara claims part of the area falls within its continental shelf, reigniting longstanding tensions over maritime jurisdiction between the two neighbors.
Greece and Turkey were on the brink of a major breakthrough in resolving long-standing maritime…
Turkey has escalated tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, threatening action if Cyprus drills in Block 5, which Ankara claims as part of its continental shelf. Cyprus issued a NAVTEX for drilling in its EEZ, while Turkey’s Defense Ministry vowed to counter any violations.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan declared that Turkey will firmly protect its rights in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, rejecting unilateral actions or faits accomplis. Speaking after Greece’s new maritime initiative, Fidan said Turkey’s Aegean spatial plan will be submitted to the UN, with all offshore activities conducted within its recognized continental shelf.
Greece’s new Maritime Spatial Planning for tourism, energy, and fishing has angered Turkey, which claims it violates its Aegean and Mediterranean rights. The NATO allies’ dispute, fueled by Turkey’s non-signatory status to UNCLOS and non-recognition of Cyprus, escalates tensions over Crete and maritime boundaries.
In a provocative move ahead of the Imia anniversary, retired Turkish Admiral Cem Gürdeniz challenged Greece’s claims over the Aegean Sea, asserting that nearly half of the waters are international and should be shared with Turkey. His remarks highlight ongoing tensions and differing perspectives on sovereignty, with potential implications for regional stability.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed skepticism about the potential for progress in Greece-Turkey disputes over the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf. Addressing criticisms, Mitsotakis reaffirmed Greece’s firm stance and criticized attempts to portray his administration as less patriotic. He highlighted recent developments in Greek-Turkish relations and urged caution in interpreting Turkey’s regional influence. Additionally, he defended Europe’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict and emphasized the need for collective security in response to shifting dynamics.
In a recent interview, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized that Turkey’s disputes with Greece encompass more than just maritime boundaries, including issues like the demilitarization of Greek islands. He called for discussions on the multiple challenges facing the Aegean, while Greece maintains that sovereignty questions remain non-negotiable.
Shortly before the scheduled meeting of the Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministers, tensions rise as Turkey issues a new NAVTEX, claiming Greek research activities are occurring on a Turkish continental shelf. This dispute highlights the ongoing challenges in delimiting maritime boundaries between the two countries under international law.
Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis reaffirmed Greece’s commitment to its maritime rights, stating the nation will never renounce its entitlement to a 12-nautical-mile territorial extension. He emphasized the futility of discussions about the current 6-nautical-mile limit and highlighted the importance of exploring a common framework for addressing maritime delimitation with Türkiye.
Greece has firmly rejected any concessions on its territorial waters in the dispute with Turkey, with a senior official stating, “Six miles? Not a chance.” This comes ahead of diplomatic talks between Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis and Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in November, focused on delineating continental shelves and exclusive economic zones. Greek officials stress that sovereignty issues are non-negotiable, raising tensions as both nations prepare for critical negotiations.
Foreign Affairs Minister George Gerapetritis expressed hope that Greece and Türkiye will agree on the framework for delimiting the continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone by January 2025. In an interview with ‘Kathimerini’, he emphasized the importance of taking actionable steps in diplomacy, pointing out the limited success of past exploratory talks. Gerapetritis highlighted the progress made toward building trust and open communication channels between the two nations while reiterating Greece’s firm adherence to international law. He also touched on regional issues, including Cyprus, and stressed Greece’s stance as a stabilizing force in the broader geopolitical landscape.
Defense Minister Nikos Dendias celebrated the 81st anniversary of Kastellorizo’s liberation on Friday, highlighting the small island’s outsized importance to Greece’s maritime sovereignty… Dendias stressed that Kastellorizo plays a ‘crucial role’ in defining Greece’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf.”
Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis notes that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip…
Defence Minister Nikos Dendias, speaking at the 81st anniversary of Megisti Island’s liberation, emphasized Kastellorizo’s crucial role in Greece’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). He reaffirmed Greece’s commitment to defending its maritime rights under international law, rejecting any opposing claims. Dendias also highlighted how Greece’s EEZ agreement with Egypt strengthens national and European interests.
