Greek FM says extension of territorial waters south of Crete being mulled

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said that the government is mulling an extension of Greece’s territorial waters from 6 nautical miles to 12 in areas south of the island of Crete demarcated in the country’s recent maritime borders accord with Egypt.

“Oceanographers are already working so that we can extend our territorial waters in the context of the EEZ agreed with Egypt,” Dendias told Parliament late on Wednesday night during a debate on the ratification of the exclusive economic zone accord, whose legitimacy is being disputed by Turkey that has a rival agreement with Libya.

“For the remaining areas where we do not have an EEZ, we will proceed – to the degree that this possible – with negotiations and then move on from there to similar extensions,” the Greek foreign minister added.

The parliamentary debate also concerned an earlier exclusive economic zone agreement with Italy extending Greece’s territorial waters in the Ionian Sea to 12 nautical miles, which was ratified by lawmakers on Wednesday night.

MPs are expected to vote on the agreement with Egypt on Thursday.