A political legacy that it may leverage in its future claims, is one that Turkey has managed to create through its maneuvers leading up to the start of offshore surveys for the Cyprus-Greece power interconnection, Professor of International Law Haris Tzimitris.
Speaking on the Alpha News program, he described as problematic and unacceptable the verbal note that France reportedly sent to Turkey, arguing that Ankara has no jurisdiction in the area where the research is being conducted, as it falls under the jurisdiction of Greece and the Republic of Cyprus.
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He welcomed the departure of the French research vessel “Abeille Marengo,” but expressed concern about the manner in which the previous diplomatic obstacle was overcome, arguing that Turkey appears to have achieved its objective, namely, to make it appear that the process was carried out following its own notification or authorization.
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“Turkey is creating a fait accompli”
Referring to the Turkish NAVTEX notices and the corresponding announcements issued by Greece and Cyprus, Mr. Tzimitris noted that these were expected moves, as the two countries are responsible for ensuring the safety of navigation in those specific areas.
However, he pointed out that his concern relates not so much to the issuance of the NAVTEX messages as to the actions that preceded them. As he explained, Turkey has long followed a tactic of creating facts on the ground, which it then attempts to use as a basis for other claims and actions. As a prime example, he cited the illegal Turkish-Libyan memorandum, which, despite being unlawful under international law, continues to have political consequences.
In the same context, he also referred to the Cyprus issue, noting that, despite international condemnation of the Turkish invasion and occupation, the situation on the ground remains unchanged. “The fact that the Turkish-Libyan memorandum was condemned, and that the European Union and other states condemned the delays in the gas pipeline project, is welcome. But let us not delude ourselves into thinking that these measures are enough to stop Turkey from pursuing its illegal aims,” he noted.
READ ALSO: Turkey issued a NAVTEX regarding the Abeille Marengo’s surveys; “we gave our consent”
Turkey upgraded the notification to a permit
He made a special reference to the procedure followed by Turkey, arguing that it began with a request for information, which it subsequently upgraded to a written notification and then to a licensing issue. In fact, he cited the wording of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statement on November 6, in which, as he noted, the term “authorization” is used, meaning authorization from the Turkish side.
In his assessment, combined with the statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, it appears that Turkey was satisfied with the procedure followed and France’s verbal notification. As he explained, even if the Turkish NAVTEX does not explicitly state that Ankara is granting permission for the surveys, this does not negate the political impression that the Turkish side is attempting to create, as the issue of authorization had already been raised in previous announcements.
“It’s not enough for me that licensing isn’t explicitly mentioned in the NAVTEX. It has been mentioned before,” he noted, adding that Turkey may claim in the future that the work was carried out after it had previously been asked for permission.
SEE ALSO: Anti-NAVTEX from the Republic of Cyprus Regarding the GSI Pipeline Following Turkey’s NAVTEX
“France’s verbal note is unacceptable”
The Professor of International Law expressed his strong disagreement with the French side’s decision to address Turkey via a verbal note. As he argued, no one other than Greece and the Republic of Cyprus has jurisdiction in the area where the investigations are being conducted.
“In fact, the very fact that France deemed it useful or necessary to send a note verbale to Turkey, in my view, is problematic for France. The diplomatic note is unacceptable because it is addressed to a party that has no legal standing in the region,” he noted.
At the same time, he noted that France, like French companies, has its own interests, which it obviously seeks to defend, suggesting that it should not be taken for granted that France will always act exclusively in the interests of Cyprus and Greece.
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Warning regarding upcoming surveys and drilling
Ahead of the start of seabed surveys, Mr. Tzimitris warned that overcoming this particular obstacle does not mean Turkey will abandon its claims.On the contrary, he assessed that Turkey may use this development to support new demands in the future, particularly as subsequent work on the electrical interconnection and cable laying progresses.
“We must not become complacent in any way, nor should we harbor any illusions about the situation,” he emphasized. He also recalled the events of 2024 in Kasos, when the Italian research vessel “Ievoli Relume” was harassed by Turkish warships, resulting in the suspension of operations.
Commenting on the Greek government’s decisions at the time, he noted that some officials admitted that Greece had backed down out of fear of a heated incident. According to him, this development constitutes yet another fait accompli on the ground, which may encourage Turkey to repeat similar actions.
Finally, he noted that the area west of Rhodes, where the research vessel is expected to operate, has been demarcated under the Greece-Egypt agreement on the EEZ, emphasizing that Greece has clear rights in the area.
