Ankara’s Shock to Athens: Greece Alarmed by Turkey’s Indefinite NAVTEX in Aegean
Ankara, January 30 – Turkey’s decision to issue an indefinite NAVTEX (Navigational Telex) in the Aegean Sea has sent shockwaves through Athens, with Greek media reporting an “unprecedented challenge” and a significant diplomatic advantage for Ankara. The Turkish Ministry of National Defense (MSB) announced on Thursday that its navigational alerts, issued in response to Greece’s activities in the Aegean, are not for a two-year period as some Greek reports suggested, but are indefinite.
“Unprecedented Difficulty” and “Turks are Challenging”
Greek media outlet Banking News, in an article titled “Unprecedented Difficulty,” stated, “Turkey is taking an unparalleled step by converting the NAVTEX, which is traditionally valid for a certain period, into indefinite validity.” The report further noted that the MSB claims all Greek research activities in areas it considers its own territory must be coordinated with Turkey, adding, “The Turks are effectively challenging Greece’s continental shelf. The timing of this move is no coincidence; it comes just weeks before a potential meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, providing the Turkish side with a clear diplomatic upper hand.”
Athens’ Aim and Noteworthy Timing
Regarding the agenda of the alleged meeting in February, the report from Banking News stated, “The Greek government aims to lower expectations and establish small but concrete areas of cooperation with Turkey. It is worth recalling that a meeting between Erdoğan and Mitsotakis, scheduled for September 2025 during the United Nations General Assembly sessions in New York, was cancelled at the last minute. This highlighted the uncertainty surrounding Turkish-Greek dialogue. With Ankara holding the NAVTEX card, such a situation should not be allowed this time.”
Meanwhile, Athens-based Business Daily highlighted a “noteworthy detail” in Turkey’s NAVTEX decision, reporting, “Turkey’s challenge came at a very significant time. Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias received this news while holding a meeting with his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin on the Hellenic Navy’s ship Kimon. France was at that very moment discussing future military support plans for Greece.”
“Dark Clouds Gathering” and “Red Card for Ankara”
Greek media outlet Parapolitika, in its article titled “Dark clouds gathering on the Ankara-Athens line,” commented, “Tension is escalating before a possible meeting between Turkey and Greece. This is the first time Turkey has restricted half of the Aegean Sea indefinitely and issued NAVTEX concerning Turkish continental shelf issues, even extending to cover half of the Aegean Sea and even underwater areas when referring to the continental shelf. In other words, the Turks are openly telling us, ‘The continental shelf is mine, and you cannot do anything on it without my permission.'”
The report also referenced Greece’s tripartite alliance with the Greek Cypriot Administration and Israel, stating, “Our alliance, which is a red card for Ankara, is pushing them to make such sharp decisions in the region.”
What Happened?
In response to a question regarding the NAVTEX declared in the Aegean Sea, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense stated:
“Our navigational alerts, which are technical objections to Greece’s unlawful activities in the Aegean Sea, were issued indefinitely, not for a two-year period as claimed by the Greek press. With the NAVTEX we have issued, taking into account navigational safety, we emphasize that all research activities within the continental shelf of the Aegean Sea must be coordinated with our country, and that military activities that could jeopardize navigational safety in areas including the territorial waters of the Non-Military Status Islands (GASA) are contrary to international agreements. Our Turkish Armed Forces will continue to neutralize unilateral activities and initiatives that disregard our country’s rights and interests arising from its maritime jurisdiction, within the framework of international law.”
Source: Turkish Ministry of National Defense, Banking News, Business Daily, Parapolitika
