Greece stated on Thursday it had protested to Turkey over its deployment of a analysis vessel within the Aegean Sea, in what it known as an “pointless” transfer because the NATO allies search to renew talks over a long-standing maritime dispute.
An advisory issued by Turkey’s navy this week confirmed the analysis vessel Cesme could be conducting a hydrographic survey from Feb. 18 till March 2 in an space of worldwide waters the place each side have potential pursuits.
“It is an pointless transfer which doesn’t assist optimistic sentiment,” authorities spokesman Christos Tarantilis informed reporters. The overseas ministry has made a verbal grievance, authorities officers stated.
Ankara considers the world to be in worldwide waters, and the oceanographic analysis was unrelated to the dispute over continental cabinets, Turkish diplomatic sources stated.
They stated the Cesme vessel would perform the identical type of scientific surveys which Greece just lately performed within the space, which have been permitted below a 1976 settlement between the 2 international locations.
The Greek officers stated that though the Cesme was working in worldwide waters, duty for issuing maritime advisories in that a part of the Aegean fell to Greece.
After a five-year pause and months of pressure over overlapping claims for power assets within the Jap Mediterranean and the Aegean final 12 months, Greek and Turkish officers met in Ankara on Jan. 25 to debate the delimitation of maritime zones.
The assembly in Istanbul ended after just a few hours and the 2 international locations, at odds over quite a few decades-old points together with the extent of their continental cabinets, have agreed to satisfy once more in Athens.
Athens has despatched an invite to Ankara suggesting the talks resume in early March – forward of a European leaders summit – and it’s awaiting a response from Turkey, overseas ministry spokesman Alexandros Papaioannou informed reporters.
Since 2002, the 2 international locations have held dozens of rounds of talks to attempt to lay the groundwork for full negotiations over the difficulty. However obstacles stay, together with what both sides is prepared to debate. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Angeliki Koutantou in Athens, Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara; Modifying by Alison Williams).
(Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Angeliki Koutantou; Modifying by Alison Williams)