Stefanos Nikolaidis
“I implement my promise“, The prime minister said Monday Kyriakos Mitsotakisannouncing the creation of two young people National marine parks – of one in Ionian and one at Southern Aegean. It is a one environmental initiative international range, as with total area 27,500 square kilometersthese parks will be between older her Mediterranean.
However, the creation they did not become unaccountable. And they came – as it was perhaps expected – by Turkey.
What are marine parks and what is the international legal framework
The Sea parks is protected areas to seawhere they are applied special management measures and conservation her marine biodiversity. They usually include islands, rocky islands, reefs, sea meadowseven migratory corridors.
The states have the jurisdiction to define marine protected areas within Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or terrace them, on the basis of the International Law of the Sea (UNCLOS Contract).
OR UN Convention on Sea Law (UNCLOS, 1982) gives the coastal states the possibility of to manage resources; to protect the environment and to establish measures for the preservation of marine life in areas falling into the their jurisdiction.
Therefore to the question If protected areas are bindingthe answer is Yesif they are created within recognized territorial waters or EEZ. However, when the areas concern dispute or they are in disputed sea zonesas is the case in Aegeanthen created geopolitical tensions.
What’s going on in the Aegean
To Aegeanthe unlimited EEZ and the disagreement for the shelf and territorial waters lead the Turkey to react in each Greek activity that enhances the presence or command in disputed points. OR Creation of Marine Parks interpreted as de facto consolidation of dominance.
OR protection of a park via international bodies (such as UNESCO or Natura network) makes the presence state institutionally ‘visible’ and makes it difficult for the challenge of by other states.
K. Filis: “It’s not only ecology, they are also geopolitical”
“It is a given that marine parks have an environmental dimension if one takes the climate crisis and infection of the sea zones“, Notes the Director of the Institute of International Affairs and Professor at the American College of Greece, Constantine Filisspeaking to skai.gr.
“Greece since the 1990s has designated Natura areas in both the Ionian and the Aegean, 24 and 18 respectively, which we had to unify at some point. And that’s what we’re starting to do now. The second thing to do with environmental is the creation of a marine life protection framework. This is very important and we must not underestimate it at all. Greece is its natural wealth and we must maintain this. Therefore, it is clear that this move is of high environmental/tourist importance. “
But it is clear that there is intense geopoliticalas he points out immediately afterwards.
According to him in the same map of marine parks to Aegean Areas are included east of Amorgosas well as several rocky islands that Ankara characterizes’gray zones“
“If a Turkish fisherman wants to go there tomorrow, Greece has to repel it and not allow such a cross. It was absolutely expected, therefore, Turkey to react – and already announced that it intends to create its own marine parks“
“Turkey denies the legal force of Greek parks”
As Mr. Filis explains, just a few hours after the Greek announcementsthe Turkey argued that the parks “have no legal effect in the light of interrelated issues in the Aegean“
“The first Turkish study on maritime spatial planning has already been published, while the Turkish Foreign Ministry characterizes the Greek moves. At the same time, he stresses that the Turkish map of marine spatial planning has been internationally guaranteed via the IOC-Mensco platform“, Says the internationalist.
As he points out, ‘Ankara believes that the Greek initiative is an attempt to change the status quo in the Aegean and insists on the importance of preserving freedom of navigation, especially in semi -seas, as the Aegean characterizes“
“They do not accept, they are afraid of legal registration of sovereignty”
Mr. Filis explains how the Turkish reaction joins the timeless narrative about ‘gray zone“
“Turkey has not accepted, nor will it be accepted in disputed geographical areas of the Aegean. What is really afraid is that such acts of ecological management, if they receive international recognition, enhance and reinforce Greek sovereign rights. “
As he explains, the Turkish sources leave clearly to meant that will not leave unanswered actions they consider that they can to change the legal status to Aegean or to limit the Turkish interests.
“Ankara is already saying that Greek movements are being closely monitored, and protection measures are being considered for other Turkish maritime areas. Indeed, they do not exclude new announcements in the near future – which shows that the Aegean is returning to geopolitical news on different terms. “
‘Environment and sovereignty now go together’
In closing, Constantine Filis stresses:
“Environmental strategy can act as a tool for gradual consolidation of sovereignty through institutions, institutional maps, surveillance and protection. And this is what Ankara knows it very well. “
And adds by saying:
“The selection of areas with particularities, such as the southern Cyclades, aims to strengthen Greece’s administrative and legal presence, without rhetorical outbursts. At the same time, these parks create a field of institutional presence and technological surveillance (drones, radar, satellites) that can hardly be challenged by third parties. “
“Greece must exercise its sovereign rights. Alas if we were asking every time we were doing sovereignty what Turkey would say. So we are very well placed on the map lately with other actions, such as marine spatial planning and of course Chevron’s presence in relation to the Turkolibyy Memorandum and the Blue Homeland. We must expect tension to the extent that the Turkish side decides, either with a fishing or possible placement of floating wind turbines on rocky islands. “
A new era of diplomacy through … ecology
OR Greece chooses to send power message and presence to Aegean not with exercises or rhetoricbut through the internationally recognized frame her environmental protection. But this new form ‘sovereignty»Causes reflexes by Anchortraditionally sees any Greek activity to Aegean with suspicion.
As it seems, the sea parks will be one new chapter not only in protection of nature – but also to geopolitical equation her Eastern Mediterranean.
Source: Skai
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