EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis). I had the good fortune to discuss these issues with Savvas Kalenteridis at least once, and I can say with confidence that I consider his position absolutely correct.
As I have mentioned before, I was a member of the NY Federation’s Foreign Policy Committee in 2010–11. During that period, we introduced Professor Kariotis to our community and helped initiate a substantial discussion on the EEZ and Greece’s right to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles. Sir Basil Markezinis later became involved as well, and these issues consequently moved to the forefront of our community’s foreign-policy discussions.
In view of the current circumstances, as Israel and Turkey are before a confrontation, it is an opportune time for Greece to go ahead and declare a 12-mile zone at the same time as it declares a united EEZ with Cyprus. Greece is the ONLY country on Earth that doesn’t have a 12-mile territorial water zone!!
Kalenderidis in the video below (English Subtitles) argues that Greece has handled its maritime dispute with Turkey too cautiously, allowing Turkish claims in the Aegean to expand over time.
- He claims he was told that Greece and Turkey have informally reached understandings over the Aegean, including a Turkish position that Greek islands should not receive full Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), though he provides no evidence of a signed agreement.
- He says Turkey unsuccessfully tried to incorporate its Aegean positions into the international Law of the Sea framework, and that Turkey’s refusal to sign UNCLOS reflects the fact that those positions were not accepted internationally.
- He highlights Turkey’s 1995 casus belli, under which Turkey’s parliament authorized possible military action if Greece extends its territorial waters in the Aegean beyond six nautical miles.
- He argues that successive Greek governments have effectively been deterred by this threat, despite maintaining that Greece retains the legal right to extend territorial waters to 12 nautical miles under the Law of the Sea.
- In his view, Greece’s reluctance has created space for broader Turkish maritime claims, culminating in the “Blue Homeland” (Mavi Vatan) doctrine.
- He argues that Greece should seriously consider extending its territorial waters to 12 miles, suggesting Turkey would be unlikely to launch a full-scale war because of NATO consequences and international opposition.
- He also makes strong claims about Greece’s military superiority in a possible conflict, particularly regarding naval, air-defense, and air-force capabilities.
- His overall conclusion is that Greece’s policy of restraint has not reduced tensions but has instead “self-trapped” the country and encouraged increasingly expansive Turkish demands.
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