Defense minister says Greece will demarcate EEZ around Kastelorizo
Defense Minister Panos Kammenos claimed on Wednesday Greece plans to declare an exclusive economic zone around the small island of Kastelorizo in southeastern Aegean within the next few months, during a visit to a military outpost on the island.
Kammenos said Greek armed forces ensure the country's “national economic interests” which are guaranteed by international law and cannot be called into question. “And obviously I am talking about the EEZ,” he said.
“Kastelorizo's EEZ is of particular importance for our country's economy. Within the next months, the declaration of the EEZ will unleash the potential for natural gas extraction for our country, [revealing] large gas fields that will meet the needs of future generations,” he said.
In October this year, former foreign minister Nikos Kotzias said the country was planning to extend its territorial waters in the Ionian Sea soon, but made no mention of the EEZ in the Aegean.
