The competent authorities have issued a new Turkish NAVTEX regarding the surveys being conducted by the French vessel Abeille Marengo for the Greece–Cyprus power interconnection.
The NAVTEX specifies the Mediterranean Sea as the area of operation for conducting marine scientific research, which has been coordinated with the relevant Turkish authorities and for which their consent has been secured.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
At the same time, it invokes the Turkey-Libya memorandum, as the directive states that the area belongs to the “Turkish continental shelf,” referring to Turkey’s letter to the UN dated March 18, 2020 (A/74/757).
“Marine scientific research activities will be conducted along routes that have been coordinated with the competent Turkish authorities and for which the consent of the Turkish authorities has been obtained, within the Turkish NAVTEX service area and on the Turkish continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean, the outer limits of which were notified to the United Nations in a letter dated March 18, 2020, reference number A/74/757. 2.
Survey activities for the installation of a submarine cable The aforementioned survey activities for the installation of a submarine cable, which will be carried out by the vessel ABEILLE MARENGO, during the period from November 10, 2026, to March 19, 2027, will be conducted along the lines connecting the following geographic locations,” the report states.
Turkey’s Navtex:
TURNHOS N/W: 1127/26 MEDITERRANEAN SEA 1. MARINE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ACTIVITIES WILL BE CONDUCTED ALONG THE LINES COORDINATED WITH THE COMPETENT TURKISH AUTHORITIES AND FOR WHICH THE CONSENT OF THE TURKISH AUTHORITIES HAS BEEN OBTAINED, WITHIN THE TURKISH NAVTEX SERVICE AREA AND ON THE TURKISH CONTINENTAL SHELF IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN, THE OUTER LIMITS OF WHICH WERE COMMUNICATED TO THE UNITED NATIONS BY THE LETTER DATED MARCH 18, 2020, REF. NO. A/74/757. 2. THE AFOREMENTIONED RESEARCH ACTIVITIES FOR UNDERWATER CABLE INSTALLATION BY ABEILLE MARENGO, BETWEEN NOVEMBER 10, 2026, AND MARCH 19, 2027, WILL BE CONDUCTED ALONG THE LINES CONNECTING THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS: LINE 1 35°20.46′ N – 027°15.61′ E 35°19.85′ N – 027°25.20′ E 35°13.14′ N – 027 35.10 E 35 01.94 N – 027 42.89 E 34 47.85 N – 028 10.04 E 34 42.47 N – 028 40.81 E 34 26.64 N – 029 25.47 E 34 23.31 N – 029 32.66 E 34 17.27 N – 029 52.26 E 34 11.80 N – 029 58.14 E 34 11.30 N – 030 05.12 E 34 11.39 N – 030 10.16 E 34 14.77 N – 030 22.77 E 34 16.58 N – 030 47.94 E 34 16.21 N – 031 01.50 E 34 12.98 N – 031 58.64 E 34 11.33 N – 032 12.28 E 34 11.59 N – 032 16.26 E LINE 2 35 19.06 N – 027 15.23 E 35 18.46 N – 027 24.34 E 35 12.52 N – 027 33.34 E 35 00.55 N – 027 40.43 E 34 45.86 N – 028 08.84 E 34 40.75 N – 028 39.87 E 34 25.15 N – 029 24.13 E 34 21.91 N – 029 31.56 E 34 16.29 N – 029 50.62 E 34 10.31 N – 029 56.42 E 34 08.69 N – 030 03.04 E 34 09.16 N – 030 08.66 E 34 09.41 N – 030 12.39 E 34 11.58 N – 030 25.77 E 34 12.79 N – 030 44.83 E 34 13.69 N – 030 55.76 E 34 13.60 N – 031 07.73 E 34 12.80 N – 031 21.45 E 34 11.13 N – 031 31.70 E 34 08.16 N – 032 15.96 E WIDE BERTH REQUESTED 2 NM 3. CANCEL THIS MESSAGE 200001Z MAR 27
What Does Ankara’s Move Mean?
From Athens’ perspective, Ankara’s reaction was expected, as Turkey is trying to portray itself as the one authorizing the ship’s surveys, despite the fact that a permit application has been submitted only to Greece and Cyprus.
In keeping with its usual practice, Turkey claims that the surveys are being conducted with the consent of the Turkish authorities in an area under Turkish jurisdiction and on the Turkish continental shelf, as notified to the United Nations in 2020—a demarcation Turkey attempted to establish through the “Blue Homeland” initiative.
Sources at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “Irrelevant”
Athens’ response to Ankara was immediate, as on Tuesday evening (11/10), sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “the Turkish NAVTEX does not refer to the issuance of a permit because there was no such request from the Turkish side,” regarding Ankara’s reaction following the departure of the French research vessel.
And as sources within the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasize, regarding the Turkish NAVTEX concerning the French research vessel Abeille Marengo, Greece and Cyprus are the only countries to which a request for permission was sent:
“Following the issuance and publication of the Greek NAVTEX, the ship’s exact course became known to all. The ship’s movements were and continue to be based on the NAVTEX issued by the Greek authorities. In essence, the Turkish NAVTEX, which was issued after the ship had already set sail, based on data that had already been made public, is of no significance. Moreover, the Turkish NAVTEX makes no mention of a permit being issued because no such request was made by the Turkish side.”
According to an informal briefing from Athens:
- Greece and Cyprus are the only countries to which a request for a work permit was submitted and which issued the relevant permits.
- Following the issuance and publication of the Greek NAVTEX, the ship’s exact course became known to all.
- The ship’s movement took place and continues to take place in accordance with the NAVTEX issued by the Greek authorities.
- The Turkish NAVTEX, which was issued after the ship’s voyage based on data that had already been made public, is of no significance. Furthermore, the Turkish NAVTEX makes no mention whatsoever of “issuing a permit,” as no such request was ever made to the Turkish side.
- The Greek side will respond in accordance with international law.
Source: Cnn.gr
