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The expansion of territorial waters expands Greek sovereignty

Featured The expansion of territorial waters expands Greek sovereignty

Greece has decided to exercise its right under international law, namely Article 3 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and to extend its territorial waters from 6 to 12 nautical miles in the Ionian Sea and the Ionian Islands, up to Cape Tainaro in the Peloponnese. This decision significantly expands, for the first time in many years, the territory in which our country exercises sovereignty. It goes without saying that this expansion implies the simultaneous expansion of the airspace, according to diplomatic sources.

This expansion is taking place following the demarcation of maritime zones with Italy on June 9, 2020. It is pointed out that this does not affect the demarcation of these maritime zones. For this expansion, Greece, in the context of good neighborly relations that it promotes with its two neighboring countries, has timely informed the governments of Italy and Albania, according to the same sources.

The extension of territorial waters will be implemented with the voting of a law in Parliament after the issuance of a Presidential Decree which will close the bays and draw straight baselines in the area, in application of the relevant provisions of the Convention on Law of the Sea. It is pointed out that the closure of the bays creates in the specific areas based on the law of the sea "inland waters" where the sovereignty exercised by the country is equivalent to that exercised on its territory.

Greece, like any country, exercises complete sovereignty over its airspace, its territorial waters, including their seabed and subsoil. It is noted, however, that the rule of "safe passage" of foreign ships from territorial waters continues to apply, as defined by International Maritime Law.

Both Italy and Albania have already extended their territorial waters to 12 nm. Besides, out of the 168 states parties to the Convention on the Law of the Sea, only 3 have not yet fully extended their territorial waters to 12 nm, while countries that have not signed UNCLOS (USA, Turkey in various regions) have also extended to 12 nm.

This important development is part of the country's broader strategy to exercise the rights given to it by international law, but also to seek consensus with neighboring countries, to conclude agreements with them on the delimitation of maritime zones, promoting good neighborly relations, security and prosperity and cooperation between the countries of the region, diplomatic sources stressed.