Valinakis says 12-mile extension would not solve Greece-Türkiye disputes
Former Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Giannis Valinakis has argued that extending Greece’s territorial waters to 12 nautical miles would not, by itself, resolve the wider disputes between Greece and Türkiye in the Aegean.
Speaking to Parapolitika on September 15, Valinakis said he considered it a strategic mistake to assume that Greece could simply extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles and thereby solve its problems with Türkiye.
“12 miles would not solve the problem”
Valinakis was commenting as Athens continues to discuss the possibility of extending its territorial waters. Greek government officials have reiterated that Greece considers the extension to 12 nautical miles a sovereign right and that the timing and manner of exercising that right will be determined by the Greek state.
According to Valinakis, however, the issue should not be treated as a single-step solution to the broader Greek-Turkish disputes.
“It is wrong to say that we should go tomorrow, extend to 12 miles and the problem is solved,” Valinakis said, according to his interview with Parapolitika. He added that he would be positively surprised if Greece proceeded with such an extension, referring in particular to the possibility of an extension southwest of Crete.
He also argued that any move should be handled through diplomacy, given the potential for a strong reaction from Türkiye.
Greece maintains its right to extend territorial waters
Greece currently maintains a 6-nautical-mile territorial sea in the Aegean. The Greek Foreign Ministry says international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), gives Greece the right to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles and notes that Greece has already exercised this right in the Ionian Sea.
In a September 12 interview, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis reiterated that the timing and manner of any extension in the Aegean would be determined unilaterally by the Greek state in accordance with international law.
Türkiye, meanwhile, maintains that an extension of Greek territorial waters beyond six nautical miles in the Aegean would have significant consequences for navigation and access to international waters. The Turkish Foreign Ministry also points to the 1995 Turkish Grand National Assembly resolution concerning a possible Greek extension in the Aegean.
A broader dispute beyond territorial waters
Valinakis' comments place the 12-mile question within the wider framework of unresolved Greek-Turkish maritime disputes.
The two countries have differing positions on issues including territorial waters, maritime delimitation and the continental shelf. Türkiye's Foreign Ministry states that maritime boundaries between the two countries have not been delimited in the Aegean, while Greece maintains its own position concerning the application of international maritime law.
Valinakis has previously argued for a broader European dimension in Greece-Türkiye relations. In his latest comments, he similarly emphasized the need to approach the issue through a wider diplomatic strategy rather than viewing a possible 12-nautical-mile extension as an automatic solution to the broader disputes.
The debate comes as Greek officials continue to state that the country reserves the right to extend its territorial waters when it considers the timing appropriate, while Türkiye continues to oppose a unilateral extension in the Aegean.
