Turkey Responds to Greece's Marine Park Plan in the Aegean Sea
Turkey is planning to establish its own marine parks in the Aegean Sea as reported by a Turkish pro-government daily newspaper, Daily Sabah. The move comes in response to Greece's decision to create a marine park in the Aegean, which Ankara sees as a unilateral action since it was neither consulted nor notified in advance. Greece's plan, announced during an international oceans conference in Athens, involves creating two large marine parks as part of a program to protect biodiversity and marine ecosystems. The first park, known as the 'Greek Galapagos,' will cover 11 groups of deserted islands and islets from the island of Milos to Nisyros, while the second park will span an area from north of Kefalonia to Kythera and Antikythera. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has expressed concerns that the Greek plan may breach Turkey's red lines, while Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis maintains that it is solely an environmental project. The establishment of marine parks in the Aegean Sea by both countries reflects the escalating tensions in the region over territorial and environmental issues, highlighting the complex relationship between Turkey and Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean.
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