Türkiye warns Greece against politicizing environmental issues amid Athens' plans to launch new marine parks

By Faruk Zorlu

Türkiye cautioned Greece on Tuesday against exploiting environmental issues for political gain after Athens announced plans to launch two new marine parks in the Aegean and Ionian Seas.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement in response to "the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs' announcement that Greece will declare two new Marine Parks, one in the Aegean Sea and the other in the Ionian Sea, during the Our Ocean Conference to be held in Athens on 16-17 April 2024."

Türkiye advised Greece not to involve outstanding issues between the two countries concerning the Aegean Sea, including "the status of some islands, islets and rocks whose sovereignty has not been ceded to Greece by international treaties, within the framework of its own agenda," the statement said.

Ankara also urged third parties including the European Union "not to become a tool for Greece's politically motivated attempts regarding environmental programs," it added.

The Turkish foreign ministry emphasized that international maritime law encourages "cooperation, including on environmental issues, between coastal states in closed or semi-enclosed seas. In this context, Türkiye expressed its readiness to cooperate with Greece in the Aegean Sea."

However, Türkiye also warned that it will not "accept any fait accomplis that Greece may create on geographical features whose status is disputed.”

"In this respect, we reiterate that the Marine Parks in question will not have any legal consequences in the context of the issues between the two countries in the Aegean Sea," it said.