Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Öncü Keçeli declared that Greece's new spatial planning document has no legal effect. Turkey argued that the Greek plan neither alters existing rights to the Aegean Sea nor establishes new ones.
Athens responded immediately, reaffirming its position. The Greek government stated that Greece's position on the sovereignty and legal status of the Aegean Sea is "absolutely clear." Greece further explained that no further explanation from Turkey is necessary, as the matter is already regulated by international treaties and agreements between the two countries.
The Greek Foreign Ministry also rejected what it considered to be repeated Turkish claims. According to Athens, Turkey makes similar statements almost every time Greece publishes a new spatial planning document. Greece argued that the mere repetition of these claims neither strengthens them legally nor creates a new legal basis.
This dispute is part of a much larger and long-standing conflict between Greece and Turkey. The two countries have significant disagreements in the Aegean Sea, including territorial rights, maritime borders, airspace, and other issues under international law. As both countries are NATO members and close neighbors, the tensions between them are closely monitored by the international community.
Some critics and analysts believe that the Turkish government under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is adopting a more aggressive stance toward Greece and other neighboring countries. Some compare aspects of Turkish foreign policy to an attempt to restore Turkish influence in formerly Ottoman territories. These comparisons are not unfounded.
