Turkey slams 'so-called' maritime deal by Greece,Egypt

By Havva Kara Aydin

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey on Thursday slammed a "so-called agreement" between Greece and Egypt on exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Stressing that Greece and Egypt had no mutual sea border, the Turkish Foreign Ministry declared in a statement that the so-called maritime agreement "null and void" for Ankara.

The so-called demarcated area is located on Turkey's continental shelf, as reported to the UN, the ministry added.

It also noted that Egypt had already abandoned 11,500 square kilometers (3,350 square nautical miles) of its continental shelf with a previous agreement it signed with the Greek Cypriot administration in 2003.

Egypt is again losing its maritime jurisdiction with the latest so-called treaty, which seeks to usurp Libya's rights as well, it said.

Turkey will not allow any activity in these areas and will continue to resolutely defend its legitimate rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as those of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, added the statement.