The Greeks, who have always felt enmity towards the Turks with their grudge from history, have institutionalized this hatred after they succeeded in establishing their state. We see that Greece, which has displayed an opposite attitude to Turkey on various issues since the establishment of its states, maintains its hostile attitude today. While Turkey and Greece are facing an existential equation, it is possible to list the problems between the two countries under five main headings: the persecution of the Turks of Western Thrace, the Patriarchate Issue, the Cyprus problem, the arrogant attitudes of Greece within the scope of the Aegean islands, and the struggle in the Eastern Mediterranean…
THE SEA OF ISLANDS AND GREECE'S IMPERTINENT STEPS
One of the most important fronts on which our country is fighting against Greece is the Aegean Sea. In other words, it is of great importance for Turkey, which is faced with the unlawful and arrogant steps of Greece in the Sea of Islands, to follow a determined and uncompromising policy.
One of main issue of the problems between Turkey and Greece is the disputes about the Aegean Sea. Greece, which does not recognize the law in the Aegean, in other words, the Sea of Islands, takes steps against Turkey at every opportunity. At the point of protecting Turkey's independence, Greece's arrogant moves must be prevented. Because if a weak stance is displayed in the face of these moves, our right to speak in the Aegean Sea will be damaged…
GREECE IS ARMSING THE ISLANDS
The problems experienced between our country and Greece regarding the Aegean Sea consist of four sub-titles. The first of these sub-titles is "Armament of the Islands". It has been observed that the islands, which should be kept unarmed according to the agreements between Turkey and Greece, started to be armed by Greece over time. Greece, which is prohibited from arming the islands in accordance with Article 12 of the Lausanne Treaty, did not comply with the said agreement. Despite the fact that Turkey, has repeatedly reported the illegal steps taken by Greece to international organizations such as the United Nations in the historical process, it has not received the support it expected from the international public.
ISLANDS THAT GREECE ARMED BY NOT ABIDING THE AGREEMENTS
Thasos – Bozbaba – İpsara – Samothrace – Limnos – Lesbos – Chios – Ahikeria – Samos – Istanbul – Rhodes – Herke – Kerpe – Shepherd – Ileki – İncirli – Kelemez – Leros – Batnöz – Lipso – Symbeki – Kos – Meis
GREECE WANTS TO TURN THE AEGEAN INTO A GREEK LAKE
The Issue of Islands, Islets and Rocks, whose sovereignty has not been transferred by treaties, is one of the controversial issues between Turkey and Greece. It is a known fact that there are many islands, islets and rocks within the boundaries of the Aegean Sea. Greece claims that these islands, islets and cliffs are under its sovereignty. However, in Articles 12 and 15 of the Lausanne Peace Treaty, it is clearly stated which islands were transferred to Greece. Although Greece, who wants to turn the Aegean Sea to a Greek Lake, wants to embrace all the elements in the region, international law prevents this desire.
The list of undetermined islands, islets and rocks in the Aegean Sea is as follows:
Giraffe Cliffs – Andiipsara – Sheep Islands – Venetian Cliffs – Fornoz – Hurşit – Daffodil – Donkey – Slurry – Kalolimni – Plati – Goat – Koçbaba – Juniper – Kendiroz – Sakarcalar – Pergusa – Kandilli – Three Islands – Ardacık – Kizkardaşlar – Saffron Islands- Kamilun – Two Brothers – Itakida
One of the most vital issues regarding the Aegean Sea is the territorial waters dispute. On September 17, 1936, Greece "unilaterally" expanded its territorial waters to 6 nautical miles. Due to the political conjuncture at that time, Turkey could not object to the fact that Greece disrupted the Lausanne balance and increased the width of its territorial waters to 6 nautical miles. Thus, with a unilateral action, Greece occupied approximately 25 percent of the open sea area of the Aegean Sea. Turkey, on the other hand, responded to the arrogant step of Greece by declaring that the territorial waters in the Aegean Sea are 6 nautical miles with the Territorial Waters Law No. 476 enacted in 1964. According to Müstafi Rear Admiral Cihat Yaycı, today, approximately 39,2 percent of the Aegean Sea is Greek, and 5 percent of the Islands, Islets and Rocks (EGAYDAAK) whose sovereignty has not been transferred to Greece by Treaties, is 12,4 percent is covered by Turkish territorial waters. The rate of open sea areas of the Aegean Sea is 48,4 percent. 25 degrees east longitude is important for Turkey in terms of continental shelf delimitation. This region constitutes 25 percent of all Islands (Aegean) Sea marine areas and 52 percent of open sea areas.
GREECE IS IN GOING TO EXTEND THE LAND WATERS TO 12 MILES
Again, according to Cihat Yaycı, Greece, which disrupted the balance of Lausanne in 1936 and increased the width of its territorial waters to 6 miles, now wants to increase it to 12 miles and turn the Sea of Islands into a Greek lake. If Greece finds suitable conditions and extends its territorial waters to 12 miles, the rate of open sea areas in the Aegean will decrease to approximately 20 percent, regardless of EGAYDAAKs, Turkey's territorial water coverage rate will reach 8,7 percent, and Greece's will go up to 61. In terms of continental shelf sharing, Turkish territorial waters in the east of the Aegean will increase by 17 percent, Greek territorial waters will increase by 60 percent, and open sea areas will decrease from 64 percent to 9 percent. Thus, the Sea of Islands will turn into a Greek inland sea, except for the two offshore sections surrounded by Greek territorial waters in two separate parts of the Aegean.
WHAT HAPPENS IF GREECE INCREASES TERRITORIAL WATERS TO 12 NATURAL MILES IN THE AEGEAN SEA?
● States using the Aegean Sea will have to apply the rule of harmless passage and what this rule brings.
● Turkey will lose the opportunity to go to the open seas. In such a case, Turkish ships will have to navigate in Greek territorial waters to cross from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.
● Aegean Sea, will become a closed Greek Sea.
● With the expansion of territorial waters, Turkey will be completely deprived of its interests in the Aegean Sea.
● Expansion of territorial waters will harm not only Turkey but also international shipping.
● If the territorial waters are expanded, the continental shelf problem will be completely resolved against Turkey.
ANOTHER PROBLEM IS ABOUT THE “CONTINENTAL SHELF”
The Continental Shelf Problem is one of the problems between Turkey and Greece. The Continental Shelf includes the seabed and subsoil of the underwater area, adjacent to the borders of the land country, extending beyond the territorial waters, along the natural extension of the land country to the outer border of the continental margin, up to 200 miles from the lines from which the territorial waters are measured. Today, in the context of the problems in the Aegean Sea, Greece refers to Article 3 of United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which accepts that the maximum limit of territorial waters in the territorial waters problem in the Islands (Aegean) Sea can be 12 nautical miles and It wants to increase its waters to 12 nautical miles. Turkey, on the other hand, emphasizes that it is not a party to this convention, underlines that the Islands (Aegean) Sea is a semi-enclosed sea, and states that it is necessary to act according to the principle of equity when determining the border in the Islands (Aegean) Sea.
AIRSPACE IS ALSO A SOURCE OF PROBLEM
The last of the problems experienced between Turkey and Greece regarding the Aegean Sea is related to the airspace. The airspace dispute, which came to the agenda after 1964 with the tension in Cyprus, has not been resolved for many years. Despite the rules of international law, Greece has determined an airspace limit of 10 miles. Turkey has opposed this situation especially since 1974. Turkey demands the implementation of the equal airspace border with the territorial waters determined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Today, Turkish jets making routine flights in the Aegean Sea are in the airspace designated by Greece. When they enter within 4 miles of the border, they are tried to be blocked by Greek jets.
TOMORROW: THE TURKISH-GREEK STRUGGLE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN