Greece is monitoring anew Turkey’s approach to issuing NAVTEX notices, with validity periods stretching up to two years and running through December 31, 2027. Athens sees the move as far more than a routine maritime update.
Greek officials describe it as a calculated effort to strengthen Turkish claims over jurisdiction and legal status across large parts of the Aegean in full view not only of Greece but also of NATO allies.
This escalation comes at a sensitive moment, as both sides have intensified diplomatic contacts in recent weeks to finalize the details for a long-pending High-Level Cooperation Council meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara.
The 25th meridian as an implied “dividing line”
Analysts point to the extended NAVTEX validity as a strategic attempt to shape perceptions over time. More specifically, they argue that Turkey aims to normalize the idea that maritime areas east of the 25th meridian, a line that roughly divides the Aegean in half, fall under Turkish jurisdiction.
As a result, Greece faces steady pressure and must respond repeatedly to messaging that could gradually embed contested claims in international discussions.
NAVTEX notices at center of dispute between Greece and Turkey
Two recent NAVTEX broadcasts issued by Turkey’s Hydrographic Service sit at the core of this strategy, namely:
- NAVTEX 0060/26 (İzmir Station): NAVTEX 0060/26 refers to periodic navigational warnings covering what Turkey describes as its continental shelf in the Aegean Sea, with boundaries “yet to be delimited by the coastal states.” It also stresses that any research activity in areas Turkey presents as under its jurisdiction must take place in coordination with the relevant Turkish authorities.
- NAVTEX 0880/25 (Antalya Station) and the “demilitarization” claim: NAVTEX 0880/25 goes even further and intensifies the rhetoric. In particular, it names 23 Greek islands as allegedly subject to a regime of permanent demilitarization, including Thasos, Agios Efstratios, Psara, Samothrace, Lemnos, Lesvos, Chios, Ikaria, Samos, Astypalaia, Rhodes, Chalki, Karpathos, Kasos, Tilos, and Nisyros.
To support this position, Turkey cites provisions it associates with the London Conference (1914), the Treaty of Lausanne (1923), and the Paris Peace Treaties (1947). Under Turkey’s interpretation, these agreements prohibit military activity in the territorial waters of the islands listed. At the same time, the notice accuses Greek authorities of issuing illegal NAVTEX messages, although it does not identify the specific Greek stations involved.
Why NATO matters in the NAVTEX messaging battle
Although NAVTEX announcements primarily serve maritime communication, they often carry clear diplomatic implications. Turkish authorities frequently introduce such documents into NATO consultation frameworks, where longstanding disputes between Athens and Ankara trigger continuous engagement and recurring exchanges.
For Greece, the risk lies in repetition. Over time, constant references to “Turkish jurisdiction” and demilitarization claims can circulate widely and gain the appearance of an established narrative, even without any formal change on the ground.
Greece responds to Turkey’s NAVTEX strategy through official channels
Greece has responded through the appropriate channels and issued clarifying notices to the international shipping community.
With these announcements, Athens underlines that no change has occurred in the Aegean’s legal and operational status.
Moreover, Greek officials aim to prevent confusion at sea while countering a broader narrative effort that could influence international perceptions beyond the maritime domain.
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