Editorial Ta Nea: An historic agreement

The Greece-Italy agreement on the delimitation of their bordering Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) negotiated by the two countries’ foreign ministers and signed yesterday is undoubtedly historic.

The press saw the agreement as one that secures the right of islands, but it has three distinct parameters that must be assessed.

The first is the geopolitical confluence of events with which the government dealt. The entire Greek people and political system must not forget that.

Neighbouring Turkey is escalating a revisionist and dangerous foreign policy based on the neo-Ottoman outlook that former PM Ahmet Davutoglu dreamt of and that Erdogan is implementing step-by-step.

That is exactly the message of the agreement signed yesterday – that Greece as a peaceful country that is European and respects international law can act diplomatically to deter threats with a long-term strategy.

The second parameter is the content of the agreement – the right of islands to have sea zones. The continental shelf between the two countries is as of yesterday the borderline of their EEZs.

Let us not forget that Ankara disputes that islands have a continental shelf and that view was the basis of the illegal Turkey-Libya agreement on their EEZs, which in fact do not border.

The third parameter is the alignment with Italy in the area of resources and fishing policy.

That is a strong and clear message.