Reuters
Under the heading above, Igor Sobotin wrote, in “Nezavisimaya Gazeta”, about Greece’s intention to adopt a law to expand the limits of its waters.
The article states: Greece is considering expanding its territorial waters in the Ionian Sea, by 13,000 km2 (10% of the country’s area). Parliament will take a decision in this regard this month. Such a move, which relies on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, can be seen as a reference to the eastern neighbor – Turkey, which not only recognizes the UN convention, but says that the commitment of the Greeks to its terms is a reason for the outbreak of war.
Interestingly, Greece and Turkey agreed to resume contacts on January 25, with the aim of providing a basis for negotiations on border issues (maritime and exclusive economic zone). As President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a meeting with European Union ambassadors, this dialogue “will mark a new era” in relations between the two countries. Erdogan’s statements came against the backdrop of a general change in the speech of Turkish officials. In Ankara, there is increasing talk of Turkey being part of the European Community.
On the eve of his meeting with “Antena”, the Greek Prime Minister (Kyriakos Mitsotakis) indicated that the contacts (with the Turkish side) are merely “informal discussions, not negotiations.”
In this regard, the expert of the Russian International Affairs Council, Timur Akhmetov, indicated that Ankara has shown its determination to restore contacts with other international players in recent months. “The Turkish leadership clearly feels the need to break the isolation and send positive signals to Greece, France, the United Arab Emirates and Israel,” he told “Nezavisimaya Gazeta”. According to him, it is possible that the Greek side is also preparing for a possible resumption of dialogue with Turkey, but on different grounds and other requirements. Most likely, for this purpose, the legislative project on expanding water in the Ionian Sea, which is scheduled to be voted on in Greece on January 19, is needed.
The article expresses only the opinion of the newspaper or writer
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