Turkish Defense Ministry ‘vigilant’ over Greek marine park announcement
Turkey’s Defense Ministry said it “remained vigilant” regarding Greece’s decision to declare two new Marine Parks, one in the Aegean Sea and the other in the Ionian Sea, saying it will not accept “unilateral conditions” in the islands of the Aegean.
“Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken the necessary diplomatic actions regarding the parks that are planned to be declared and has stated that unilateral fait accomplis in the islands and islets of the Aegean whose sovereignty has not been determined will not be accepted and will not bring legal consequences,” the ministry said in a press release.
It also said it will protect Turkey’s “rights and interests in the Aegean, to prevent Greece’s attempts to establish a unilateral regime.”
Greece announced during the “Our Ocean Conference” held in Athens on 16-17 April that it plans to create two large marine parks as part of a 780-million-euro program to protect biodiversity and marine ecosystems.