Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday October 26 in Athens that the Greek-Turkish dispute over the delimitation of territorial waters in the Eastern Mediterranean should be settled on "
the basis of international law
".
The disputes "
must be resolved on the basis of international law, of the international convention on the law of the sea (...) that is the key to the normalization of relations,
" the head of Russian diplomacy told the outcome of an interview with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias, according to the official Greek translation of his words.
Signed in 1982, this convention is often used by Athens as a lever to pressure its neighbor Turkey.
But Ankara is not a signatory to this convention.
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Sergey Lavrov recalled in an interview broadcast Monday by the Greek news agency, Ana, that Moscow had signed this convention and that "
Article 3 provides for the right of a state to extend its national waters to 12 nautical miles.
".
However for Ankara the application of this article is considered as a "
casus belli
" (case of war ndrl).
Turkey maintains that if Greece extends its territorial waters to twelve nautical miles, Turkish ships will not be able to navigate in certain areas in the eastern Mediterranean because Greek islands are very close to the Turkish coast (less than 12 nautical miles).
Athens has stepped up in recent days protests against the dismissal of a Turkish gas exploration vessel, the Oruc Reis, in a maritime area claimed by Greece and more particularly off the Greek island of Kastellorizo.
Since August, when Oruç Reis first visited this area for almost a month before withdrawing in early September, tensions between the two countries, which are fighting over maritime areas considered rich in hydrocarbons, have continued. to go up.
Read also: Eastern Mediterranean: cancellation of military exercises by Greece and Turkey
“
Turkey is investing in escalating tension,
” Nikos Dendias said Monday, stressing that Athens “
was ready to support its sovereign rights
”.
He repeated that the dialogue between the two neighbors "
could not be done under pressure
" alluding to that exercised by Ankara.
The Greek minister denounced the “
neo-Ottoman vision
” and the “
destabilizing role
” of Ankara in the region.
In addition, Sergei Lavrov and Nikos Dendias signed a “
joint memorandum
” of cultural cooperation.
The head of Russian diplomacy is also due to meet with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday afternoon.
