Athens is facing a triple challenge in the Eastern Mediterranean, as the Turkey–Libya Memorandum remains a flashpoint, Turkey pushes to impose its own “law” in the region, and Greece’s bid to advance its maritime spatial planning has revived a serious unresolved issue with Egypt over the full delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The situation is creating a “hot” arc from the Evros River delta to Kastellorizo and the farthest reaches of Greek maritime zones west of Crete, demanding proactive moves to avoid faits accomplis and send the message that the exercise of Greece’s sovereign rights is not subject to third-party “approval.”
According to Liberal.gr, the latest in a string of negative developments concerns the research vessel S/V Fugro Gauss, conducting surveys for a cable-laying operation as part of the major East to Med Data Corridor (EMC) project- a submarine and land-based fibre-optic cable linking Asia to Europe via the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.
The project involves companies from Greece (including PPC), Saudi Arabia, and Cyprus, and was announced at the 2022 Greece–Saudi Arabia Intergovernmental Conference, chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Cyprus had issued a NAVTEX for surveys within its EEZ. Turkey, however, responded with an anti-NAVTEX, claiming the area as part of its continental shelf- unilaterally declared to the UN- and demanded all work be coordinated with its “authorities.” The Turkish Ministry of Defence also issued direct threats, deploying air and naval assets to “take precautions” and warning that “appropriate measures” would be taken on site against any activity it deemed a violation.
The stance echoes Turkey’s 2024 obstruction of the Ievoli Relume during the Cyprus–Crete electricity interconnection project near Kasos, setting what Ankara appears to see as a “model” for all international waters projects. On Friday morning, the Fugro Gauss ceased its survey in Cyprus’ EEZ and headed to Malta, with no official explanation, though it is widely believed to have been forced to stop due to Turkish pressure.
In parallel, Athens faces renewed friction with Cairo. Egypt has formally reiterated its long-standing positions, which complicate a full EEZ agreement with Greece, in a note verbale responding to the publication of Greece’s maritime spatial planning map. While Egypt accepts the median line principle, it seeks reduced and proportional effect for islands- a concession Greece already made in 2020 for Rhodes, Kasos, Karpathos, and even Crete, in order to quickly counter the Turkey-Libya deal.
Accepting the Egyptian stance east of the 28th meridian would effectively validate Turkish claims, which are maximalist in seeking to confine Greek islands to just six nautical miles of territorial waters.
Athens is also seeking to keep dialogue alive with Libya to avoid further faits accomplis. Following its reply to the UN, Greece has informed Tripoli of its readiness to start formal negotiations on EEZ/continental shelf delimitation, with Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou named as lead negotiator. Both Tripoli and the rival Haftar faction have been briefed, as the Libyan parliament has yet to vote on ratifying the Turkey–Libya Memorandum.
The coming weeks will show whether Turkey can again use threats to halt major infrastructure projects, and whether Athens can navigate this Athens triple challenge without conceding ground on its sovereign rights.
Also read: Egypt–Greece maritime dispute could impact Cyprus
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