New York, United States. Turkey has challenged Cyprus, Greece and Egypt in a letter to the United Nations, reiterating its claims over maritime zones in the Eastern Mediterranean and defending its “Blue Homeland” doctrine.
UN submission and claims over maritime zones
Ankara accused its neighbours of violating Turkey’s “unilaterally” declared Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and called into question Cyprus’ sovereign rights. The letter, submitted on 16 February, dismissed the Republic of Cyprus as an illegitimate entity, insisting that “no single authority represents both Greek and Turkish Cypriots.”
Energy projects and regional cooperation
Turkey criticised joint energy projects between Cyprus, Greece, Egypt and Israel as “attempts to confine Turkey to its continental shelf.”
Warning from Turkish lawmaker
Turkish MP Ayse Bohurler said on Friday that Ankara is monitoring developments closely and “will respond with action if deemed necessary.”
Greece cited over Crete and Chevron-linked exploration blocks
Greece was singled out in the dossier for defining maritime boundaries south of Crete under domestic law, following the entry of US energy firm Chevron into exploration blocks. Ankara said “Greece’s efforts to defend its maximalist claims are ineffective, produce no legal consequences for Turkey, and cannot affect Turkey’s rights to the continental shelf.”
References to Turkey-Libya and Greece-Egypt agreements
The letter reaffirmed Turkey’s support for the 2019 Turkish-Libyan Memorandum, which delineates maritime zones, and said it has been widely rejected by regional states. Turkey also targeted the 2020 Greece-Egypt maritime agreement as illegal, claiming it infringes on Turkish jurisdiction.
Objections to Greece’s maritime planning and island-based claims
The letter dismissed Greece’s 2025 maritime spatial plan as unilateral and argued that islands should not automatically generate full maritime zones where their location disrupts equitable delimitation.
What impact do you think Turkey’s UN letter could have on Eastern Mediterranean maritime talks?
