Reports out of Athens on Monday citing diplomatic sources claimed that the Greek foreign minister brought up the issue of a Turkish corvette over the weekend “shadowing” two research vessels collecting data for an undersea power cable, and during a meeting in Qatar with his Turkish counterpart.
Greek Minister George Gerapetritis met with Turkish FM Hakan Fidan in Doha a day earlier, with official announcements afterwards revolving around a general description of talks on bilateral, regional and international developments, CBMs and what’s billed as issues in a “positive agenda”.
Nevertheless, some 2,500 kilometers away Greek authorities spotted the Turkish naval vessel monitoring the Italian-flagged buoy-laying vessel Ιevoli Relume and its support ship NG Worker in the southern Aegean. The latter were sailing and conducting research just north of the Gulf of Agios Nikolaos on Crete in international waters. The two vessels have been contracted to conduct research and preliminary work for the ambitious Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) project, which aims to lay an undersea power cable connecting Cyprus with Crete.
“One cannot prevent this type of (cable) laying because it’s considered that such power cables are necessary in order to provide essential services to citizens. It’s fully protected under international law,” Gerapetritis has previously stated.
In previous instances, Athens has vigorously underlined that such activity in international waters is fully protected under international law and the even more germane UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), thereby no licensing is required, as claimed by non-UNCLOS signatory Ankara.
“The research will continue as normal, as defined by the planning, and without any possibility of interruption or a change of plans,” was the comment by Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis, who was asked about the incident during a regular briefing on Monday.
“…the Turkish (corvette) is not at seven nautical miles or even next to (the research vessels). Obviously, we’re monitoring it (Turkish ship) with a frigate but also with a coast guard craft,” he added.
The “shadowing” incident came after the Hellenic Navy hydrographic service (HNHS), and specifically its Irakleio station, issued a notice to mariners (NAVTEX) of undersea cable laying works by the NG Worker and Ievoli Relume. The notice was issued on Feb. 5.
A similar incident took place last July, when Turkey sent no less five warships to harass the same Italian-flagged vessel from conducting research in the sea region off the southeast Aegean Island of Kasos, claiming at the time that the specific maritime area was in the “Turkish continental shelf” and that any works would have to be approved by Turkish authorities.
Although only a lone Turkish vessel, and a corvette rather than a more powerful frigate, is involved, nevertheless the incident has raised eyebrows because it took place so close to the shores of Crete and far away from the nearest Turkish territory.