The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Hami Aksoy, have made the statement to the question risen by the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the research activity of Oruç Reis vessel in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The statement is as follows:
“Within the framework of our country’s ongoing hydrocarbon activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, the NAVTEX for Oruç Reis has been announced to the public and published by our relevant authorities since 21 July 2020, that our research vessel will carry out a new seismic research activity in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Oruç Reis will investigate the continental shelf within the maritime area which our country has notified to the United Nations and notified in the license given to TPC (TPAO) in 2012. Our Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha seismic research vessel had operated primarily in this area in the past years.
Despite this, Greece objected this research activity and claimed that the research area was in its continental shelf. Greece bases this claim on the existence of islands, especially Megisti, away from its mainland. This maximalist continental shelf claim of Greece is against international law, common law and court decisions.
It is not a rational and international thesis that an island with a surface area of 10 square kilometers, 2 km from Anatolia and 580 km from the Greek mainland, creates a land area of 40,000 square kilometers wide. For this reason, we reject these claims of Greece.
Although Turkey reiterated their call for dialogue at all levels with Greece, as expressed on several occasions until today, it will continue to defend the legitimate rights and interests arising from international law.”
