Greece and Turkey Exchange Diplomatic Protests Over Aegean Sea Marine Protection Zones

ATHENS & ANKARA — Diplomatic friction between NATO allies Greece and Turkey flared on Tuesday following reciprocal diplomatic demarches concerning the unilateral designation of marine conservation parks and sovereign maritime boundaries across the Aegean Sea.

Environmental Designations Intersect Sovereign Waters

The dispute erupted after the Turkish Ministry of Environment declared new environmental marine reserves spanning portions of the Eastern Aegean. Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis issued a formal diplomatic rebuke, stating that Turkey's designated coordinates encroach on Greek territorial waters and continental shelf boundaries defined under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Athens reiterated that environmental conservation initiatives cannot be utilized as a pretext to contest settled sovereign maritime rights or create unilateral geopolitical facts on the water.

Turkish Position on Disputed Islets and Demilitarization

In response, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintained that the marine reserves operate within Turkish sovereign jurisdiction, asserting that certain Aegean islets remain under unsettled sovereignty status and alleging that Greek military deployments violate historic treaties.

Turkish naval vessels and coast guard cutters conducted routine patrol sweeps in adjacent waters, though military commanders on both sides affirmed that established de-escalation hotlines remain operational.

European Union Diplomatic Mediation

The European Commission and NATO Secretary General urged both nations to adhere to bilateral confidence-building measures established under the 2023 Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighbourliness, encouraging joint environmental cooperation.