By the agreement signed with Libya, a part of the western borders of our
maritime jurisdiction areas in the Eastern Mediterranean is delimited. The
agreement is in accordance with the court decisions that create the
international jurisprudence and international law including the relevant
articles of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
All parties are in essence aware that islands cannot have a cut-off effect
on the coastal projection of Turkey, the country with the longest
continental coast line in Eastern Mediterranean, that the islands which lie
on the wrong side of the median line between two mainlands cannot create
maritime jurisdiction areas beyond their territorial waters and that the
length and direction of the coasts should be taken into account in
delineating maritime jurisdiction areas. As a matter of fact, prior to the
signing of the said agreement, Turkey has repeatedly invited all parties to
negotiations for a consensus based on equity and remains ready for
negotiations. However, instead of engaging in negotiations in response to
Turkey’s international law and equity-based approach, the parties only
preferred to take unilateral steps and try to shift blame on Turkey.
Maximalist and uncompromising Greek and Greek Cypriot claims lie behind
this understanding, whereas for example, Kastellorizo, a small island
immediately across the Turkish mainland is supposed to generate a maritime
jurisdiction area of four thousand times larger than its own surface. This
understanding caused Egypt to lose an area of 40.000 square kilometers.
Through this agreement with Libya, the two countries have clearly
manifested their intention not to allow any fait accomplis.