Turkey Rejects Greek Maritime Map Update, Citing Unlawful Claims in Disputed Waters

Ankara Condemns Greek Maritime Spatial Plan

Turkey has formally rejected Greece's updated Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) map, which was published on the European Commission's MSP Platform on Friday, November 21, 2025. Ankara labeled the move an 'unlawful attempt to impose unilateral claims over disputed maritime areas' in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean.

Öncü Keçeli, the Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that Greece is attempting to 'instrumentalize the EU platform to gain acceptance for an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) it has never officially declared'. He further asserted that the map infringes upon Turkey's continental shelf and jurisdiction areas.

Conflicting Claims and International Law

The core of the dispute lies in the differing interpretations of maritime law and the delimitation of maritime zones. Turkey argues that the Greek map unlawfully overlaps with its declared continental shelf. Ankara submitted its comprehensive legal position on the outer limits of its continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean to the United Nations on March 18, 2020. Additionally, Turkey announced its own national MSP on April 16, 2025, and formally notified UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission on June 12, 2025.

A significant point of contention is Turkey's non-ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Turkey maintains that islands, particularly those close to its coastline, should not be entitled to full maritime zones, a position that contradicts UNCLOS provisions which Greece, a signatory, upholds.

Greece's Stance and Broader Context

In response to Turkey's rejection, a Greek foreign ministry spokeswoman, Lana Zochiou, countered that 'Turkey's reaction has no basis in EU and international law'. She clarified that Greece's updated MSP was conducted in accordance with Directive 2014/89/EU, international maritime law, and existing bilateral agreements. Greece adopted its first National Spatial Strategy for the Marine Space (NSSMS) on April 28, 2025, aiming to organize human activities in its marine areas in alignment with EU directives. The map reflects Greece's continental shelf limits and acknowledges the full influence of its islands, including areas established through agreements with Egypt and Italy.

This latest development underscores the long-standing tensions between the two NATO allies over maritime boundaries, particularly in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, which have historically led to diplomatic crises.