Exclusive economic zone

Ankara could be slapped with more European sanctions depending on the findings of an evaluation report on Turkey expected by March, a senior diplomatic official has told Kathimerini on condition of anonymity.

Koper – Croatia should first come to an agreement with Slovenia on the implementation of the border arbitration award in line with international law and only then expand its rights at sea, international maritime law professor Marko Pavliha told the STA in reference to Croatia’s plans to declare an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic Sea.

Ljubljana – Prime Minister Janez Janša said during questions time in parliament on Monday that it had been Italy and Croatia’s “good will” to invite Slovenia for talks on their plans to declare their exclusive economic zones in the Adriatic Sea. This invitation came “precisely because of our reputation”, the prime minister told the MPs.

The Croatian government on Monday decided to declare an exclusive economic zone, EEZ, in the Adriatic Sea. Parliament will hold an extraordinary session this week to confirm the decision.

Greece and Cyprus met intense resistance to their attempts to formulate a solid response to Ankara over its repeated provocations in recent months at Thursday's European Union summit in Brussels.

A crucial and recurring question posed with every Greek-Turkish crisis is: How will Greece manage to contain Ankara's aggression? Athens must certainly not give in to the provocations. At the same time, it must safeguard its sovereign rights.

Bilateral relations between Greece and Israel and Turkey's illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean were at the center of talks between Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Israel's ambassador in Athens, Yossi Amrani, the former said in a tweet Wednesday.
The meeting was held at the Foreign Ministry in Athens.

Israel has expressed its solidarity with Greece amid a sharp increase in tensions with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

"Israel is cautiously monitoring the increase in tension in the Eastern Mediterranean," the country's embassy in Athens said in a statement posted on Twitter on Wednesday morning.

Cyprus Defense Minister Savvas Angelides briefed his EU counterparts on Tuesday on Turkey's ongoing activities in the Republic of Cyprus' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), stressing the need for an EU naval presence in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his readiness on June 11 to discuss the delimitation of maritime zones with Turkey. 

"Greece is always open to a dialogue with Turkey to delimitate the maritime zones," Mitsotakis told an economic forum in the capital Athens.