Danger of joint jurisdiction claims over the Aegean Sea and moves to extend Turkish living space at the expense of the Republic of Cyprus and the EU
4.12.2019
Question for written answer E-004211/2019
to the Commission
Rule 138
Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR)
A few days ago, Turkey announced its intention of establishing a common EEZ border with Libya. This followed a letter of 13 November 2019 from Feridun Sinirlioglu, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Turkey to the United Nations, invoking international law to lay claim to a shared maritime border with Egypt in the eastern Mediterranean, disregarding the rights of Cyprus, which it does not recognise.
The above letter claims legal and sovereign rights for Turkey in the waters to the west of the 32° 16’ 18” meridian, effectively giving it joint jurisdiction with Greece over the Aegean Sea.
In view of these acts of provocation by Turkey, which are in breach of international and European law:
- 1.Can the Commission say whether the EU is willing to defend its eastern borders, which are also those of Greece and Cyprus, against any attempted encroachment by a third country seeking to extend its living space?
- 2.What action will the EU take in response to the above Turkish claims, which are all the more unreasonable in view of its refusal to sign the 1982 International Maritime Treaty?