NAVTEX wars continue in eastern Med

Greece has issued a counter navigational warning following NAVTEX messages from Turkey, after Ankara renewed exploratory activities in contested Mediterranean waters and further denounced Athens for treaty violations.

Ankara on Wednesday evening issued a warning to mariners concerning activities of Turkish seismic vessel Oruc Reis, effectively extending maritime exploration through October 27.

The waters in question cover maritime areas that Greece has claimed as belonging to its continental shelf, including near Greek island Kastellorizo and through parts east of Rhodes.

Greece issued an anti-NAVTEX saying the Turkish message had been issued by an “unauthorized station” while “referring to unauthorized and illegal activity in an area that overlaps the Greek continental shelf.”

In an earlier NAVTEX, Turkish authorities also accused Greece of violating the Lausanne Treaty, arguing the demilitarized status of the Aegean islands of Samothrace, Lemnos and Agios Efstratios has been violated by Athens.

Athens and Ankara recently agreed to seek a path to dialogue, which is being facilitated by NATO.

Both countries expressed full readiness to hold exploratory talks but have accused each other of not being sincere, with Greece saying it was ready to discuss the dispute over the continental shelf and Ankara accusing Athens of being unwilling to discuss other issues.