Gerapetritis: No conditions yet for agreement with Türkiye; sovereignty issues are off the table

In an interview with "Political" newspaper, he said that Athens recognises the delimitation of the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as the only Greek-Turkish dispute that could be referred to international jurisdiction and that issues concerning Greek sovereignty will not be subject to negotiation.

Gerapetritis reiterated that Greece is ready to discuss resolving the dispute over the delimitation of maritime zones on the basis of international law and the Law of the Sea. As he noted, one of the reasons Athens invested in structured dialogue with Ankara over the past three years was to establish whether favourable conditions could be created for the issue to move forward.

However, recourse to international jurisdiction requires agreement on the subject matter of the dispute.

Gerapetritis accused Türkiye of seeking to include "arbitrary and unfounded claims" concerning issues of Greek sovereignty in such a process.

He clarified, however, that this does not alter either Greece's commitment to dialogue or its readiness to resolve the dispute over delimitation in accordance with international law.
Asked about the possibility of extending territorial waters to 12 nautical miles south of Crete, the foreign minister declined to specify a timeframe or area for exercising this right, stressing that the decision rests exclusively with Greece.

Gerapetritis made particular reference to the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection, which he described as a Project of Common European Interest and fully compatible with the International Law of the Sea. He also pointed out that the participation of France's Meridiam with a majority stake strengthens the project's European dimension and stressed that Greece, France and Cyprus have expressed their political support for its implementation.

AMNA