Turkey dead set against one-sided Greek steps in Aegean

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet and Munira Abdelmenan Awel

ANKARA

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy on Tuesday responded to statements by Greek officials saying the country would extend its territorial waters from six miles to 12 miles.

Aksoy said in a statement: "We have followed the statements of Greece’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. [Nikos] Kotzias and its Prime Minister and new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. [Alexis] Tsipras regarding the plans for the gradual extension of Greek territorial waters, as well as the related news."

"We cannot tolerate any step that is not based on mutual consent in the Aegean Sea where two countries have opposite coasts," the statement said.

"The declaration of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, dated 8 June 1995, contains a necessary political warning and is still in force today," it added.

The declaration warns that if Greece increases its territorial waters in the Aegean Sea beyond six miles, the Turkish parliament will give "all powers", including the military powers, to the government to defend Turkey's interests.

On the Greek Ambassador in Ankara Petros Mavroidis being summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry earlier Tuesday, Aksoy said they conveyed their "views and warnings" to him.