Turkish Vessel Between Rhodes and Kastellorizo

If Greece had declared Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the oceanographic works of the Turkish research vessel Bilim 2 would have violated Greece’s sovereign rights, as Ankara tries to utilize part of the Greek EEZ.
As reported by NANTEX181/13, the Turkish oceanographic vessel Bilim 2, will conduct researches in international waters, between Rhodes and Kastellorizo, until midnight of Thursday 21 March. The Turkish Vessel, which belongs to the Institute of Marine Sciences, Middle-East Technical University of Ankara, conducts research in an area over the Greek continental shelf.
In fact, as the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs assures, some of the areas in which the researches are conducted are within the Greek continental shelf.
According to a statement of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs “the conduct of marine scientific research in the waters overlying the Greek continental shelf requires prior notification and all relevant information should be provided to the competent Greek authorities. As there was no such notification from the Turkish side, the Greek Embassy in Ankara was instructed to act accordingly.”
The way the Greek Embassy in Ankara is going to act is not specified yet. It is assumed, however, that the Greek side will demand explanations from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for having started researches within the Greek continental shelf, which means within the Greek EEZ, without having permission from the Greek government.

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