Turkey-Greece Navtex crisis escalates ahead of February summit

BY AHMET TAŞ | WISE NEWS PRESS

ANKARA, TURKEY — Tensions in the Aegean Sea have reached a boiling point as Turkey issued "indefinite" Navtex (Navigational Telex) announcements, signaling a firm stance on its maritime jurisdiction just weeks before a scheduled summit between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The move serves as a direct technical rebuttal to Greece's long-standing threats to expand its territorial waters to 12 miles and its recent plans to establish "marine parks" in disputed areas. While Greek media initially characterized the Turkish notices as having a two-year duration, Turkey's Ministry of National Defense (MSB) clarified on Thursday that these assertions of rights are permanent and unrestricted by time.

Defense Ministry confirms "indefinite" notices

During a weekly press briefing, Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk, the spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, addressed the circulating rumors regarding the duration of the latest maritime notices. "Our navigational announcements, which serve as technical objections to Greece’s activities in the Aegean that violate international law, are not for two years as claimed by the Greek press; they have been issued indefinitely," Aktürk stated.

The Admiral emphasized that these notices are essential for navigational safety and the protection of Turkey's continental shelf. He further noted that any research activity within Turkey's maritime jurisdiction must be coordinated with Turkish authorities. The MSB’s stance highlights a strategy of "persistent presence," aiming to neutralize unilateral Greek initiatives that Ankara views as contrary to international treaties.

Navtex as a diplomatic signaling tool

While Navtex is technically a communication system for transmitting maritime safety information—such as weather reports and search-and-rescue coordinates—it has evolved into a sophisticated tool of "soft-power" diplomacy in the Aegean conflict. By issuing notices like İzmir 0060/26 and Antalya 0880/25, Ankara is effectively drawing a line in the water, signaling its refusal to accept any "fait accompli" regarding the expansion of Greek sovereignty.

A particularly contentious point remains the status of the "Islands with Non-Military Status" (GASA). Turkey has repeatedly listed 23 Greek islands—including Lesbos, Chios, Rhodes, and Meis—asserting that their militarization violates the 1914 Decision of the Six Great Powers, the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, and the 1947 Treaty of Paris. Turkey maintains that military exercises in the territorial waters of these islands endanger navigational safety and legal stability in the region.

The 25th meridian and maritime jurisdiction

Greek analysts suggest that Turkey’s latest tactic is designed to create a perception of permanent control over the area east of the 25th meridian, which roughly bisects the Aegean Sea. By issuing indefinite notices, Ankara is perceived as institutionalizing its claim that the eastern half of the sea falls under its coordination and authority.

The timing of this escalation is critical. It follows a statement by Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, who told the Greek parliament on January 16 that "marine parks" were a strategic tool to consolidate Greek sovereignty and neutralize overlapping claims. For Ankara, this rhetoric signaled a renewed intent to expand territorial waters, a move that Turkey has historically viewed through the lens of its 1995 parliamentary declaration.

Territorial waters and the "Casus Belli" legacy

The root of the current friction lies in the potential expansion of Greek territorial waters from 6 to 12 miles. While Greece has already expanded its waters in the Ionian Sea, any such move in the Aegean remains a "red line" for Turkey. In 1995, the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) unanimously passed a declaration stating that any expansion of Greek territorial waters beyond the current 6 miles would be considered a casus belli (reason for war).

Despite the heated rhetoric and the technical "war of words" through Navtex, both leaders are still expected to meet in mid-February. The summit aims to maintain the "positive agenda" established in 2024, yet the latest developments suggest that the foundational disputes over the Aegean's seabed and airspace are as far from resolution as ever. Turkey appears determined to use every diplomatic and technical avenue to ensure its interests are not bypassed in the lead-up to the high-level talks.

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