Greece Rejects Proposed Maritime Agreement Between Turkey and Syria
Greece has officially rejected Turkey’s intention to establish a maritime agreement with Syria, describing the Syrian government as a “transitional authority” unable to sign legally binding agreements.
According to the Greek newspaper “eKathimerini” dated December 26, 2024, the Greek
government issued a statement opposing Turkey’s efforts to negotiate a maritime deal with Syria.
This statement came after Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced on
Tuesday his country’s plan to begin discussions with Syria to delineate maritime boundaries.
Greek diplomatic sources stated, “The situation in Syria is transitional and does not legitimize
such agreements,” adding, “We are closely monitoring developments and remain in constant
communication with Cyprus, neighboring countries, and the European Union.”
Greek officials have warned that the agreement could undermine their sovereign rights and set a
precedent challenging the maritime rights of islands like Crete and Cyprus. Uraloglu had clarified
that any future agreement would align with international law. Bloomberg News quoted Uraloglu
saying to reporters in Ankara that such a deal would allow both countries to “increase their area
of influence” in energy exploration.
It’s noteworthy that a similar maritime agreement was signed between Turkey and Libya in 2019, which had escalated tensions between Ankara and Greece over energy exploration rights in the Mediterranean Sea.
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