By
Aug. 29, 2020
The island of Crete has been accorded reduced effect according to a recent agreement between Greece and Egypt defining maritime boundaries, Turkey’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Feridun Sinirlioglu, has said, adding that this justifies Ankara’s claims regarding the status of the southeastern Aegean island of Kastellorizo.
“Even the island of Crete, the fifth biggest island in the Mediterranean at 8,300 km2, has been given reduced effect according to the so-called agreement (Turkey does not recognize the accord) between Egypt and Greece,” Sinirlioglu said in a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres dated August 21.
“Yet the persistent Greek claim foresees full effect for Kastellorizo, whereas it could only be given territorial sea, but no continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, according to the jurisprudence of relevant international courts,” he said.
As a result, Sinirlioglu said, Greek objections to the activity of the Oruc Reis seismic survey vessel, which Greece says is operating within Greek continental shelf, “lack any legal basis.”
