Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alexandros Papaioannou’ s response to a journalist’s question regarding recent claims by Turkish officials on the status of the Aegean islands (10.02.2022)

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alexandros Papaioannou, in response to a journalist’s relevant question, stated the following:

“As regards the most recent claims by Turkish officials on the status of the Aegean islands, we reject them in their entirety.

These claims are not only incompatible with fundamental principles of International Law, but they also defy all logic.

The Greek position on this issue has been repeatedly and publicly expressed.

A relevant letter has been sent by the Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN addressed to the Secretary-General of this Organization.

Similarly, Greece rejects Turkey’s unilateral claims on the delimitation of the continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean, claims which disregard, once again, the fundamental rules of International Law, and in particular International Law of the Sea.

Furthermore, these claims are based on a null and void, illegal “memorandum”.

Greece remains committed to the principles of International Law and is willing to conduct a constructive dialogue with Turkey on the basis of these principles”.