The Special Spatial Framework for Tourism declared by Greece today (7 August), which also encompasses the Aegean Sea, will not entail any legal consequences for Türkiye in the context of the interrelated Aegean issues between the two countries, including certain geographical features whose sovereignty was not ceded to Greece through international treaties.

In this regard, we emphasize once again that efforts to instrumentalize universal values such as the protection of the environment for political purposes are futile and will in no way affect Türkiye’s long-standing legal position.

Unilateral actions should be avoided in closed or semi-enclosed seas such as the Aegean and the Mediterranean. International maritime law encourages cooperation between coastal states in such seas, including on environmental issues. In this context, we reiterate that Türkiye, as one of the two coastal states in the Aegean Sea, remains ready to cooperate with Greece.

Within the framework of the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good Neighborliness, dated 7 December 2023, Türkiye maintains its position that a sincere and comprehensive approach should be adopted to resolve issues on the basis of international law, equity and good neighborliness.