Greece promotes security in the region, does not try to impose a fait accompli policy and defends its sovereignty and its sovereign rights, diplomatic sources said, commenting on the statements of Turkish officials.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Greece should abandon “anti-Turkish” plans in the Aegean Sea, and noted that Ankara did not have a goal to “strike Athens” with missiles.
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“Greece promotes security and stability in the region by pursuing a foreign policy based on international law and the law of the sea, in full respect of the principles of the United Nations Charter,” diplomatic sources said.
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“Greece has never tried and is not trying to impose a fait accompli. On the contrary, it condemns all forms of expansionism and revisionism and, in the context of good neighborly relations, resolves outstanding issues with its neighbors such as Italy and Egypt, through the strict application of international law and the law of the sea.. We continue to defend our sovereignty and our sovereign rights,” the diplomatic sources added.
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Greece says it has the right to expand territorial waters from 6 miles to 12 miles under the UN convention on the law of the sea. Earlier, Turkish foreign and defense ministers said that if Greece expands its territorial waters in the Aegean to 12 miles, then it will face consequences. Turkey says it will consider this a casus belli. On this occasion, the Turkish Parliament adopted a decision in 1995. Turkey believes that by expanding its territorial waters, Greece will practically block Ankara’s access to international waters.
