The station of Heraklion in Crete the hydrographic service of the Navy issued by anti-Navtex on the occasion of the new illegal Turkish Navtex for investigations of the Orooch Reyes southeast of Rhodes.
The Greek Navtex notes that the Turkish Navtex refers to «illegal and unauthorised activity», in an area that «overlaps the Greek continental shelf». It also calls on seafarers to ignore the Turkish Navtex, stressing that the Heraklion station of the Navy's hydrographic service has the authority to issue Navtex messages in the area.
Earlier, the hydrographic station of Antalya issued an announcement of searches by the Orutz Reis and its escort vessels in a sea area 16 nautical miles southeast of Rhodes and 50 nautical miles from Kastelorizo.
The entire Greek Navtex:
ZCZC HA34
312200 UTC OCT 20
IRAKLEIO RADIO NAVWARN 647/20 SOUTH EAST CRETAN SEA
1. UNAUTHORIZED STATION HAS BROADCAST NAVTEX MESSAGE NUMBER FA32-1364/20 IN HELLENIC NAVTEX SERVICE AREA, REFERRING TO UNAUTHORIZED AND
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IN AN AREA THAT OVERLAPS THE GREEK CONTINENTAL SHELF. IRAKLEIO NAVTEX STATION HAS THE AUTHORITY TO BROADCAST NAVTEX MESSAGES IN THE AREA.
2. ALL MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO DISREGARD NAVTEX MESSAGE NUMBER FA32-1364/20.
3. CANCEL THIS MESSAGE 142059 UTC NOV 20.
MFA: Turkey to immediately revoke the illegal Navtex
«Unfortunately the Turkey with the issuance of a new illegal Navtex for the period 1-14 November, by which it commits an area within the Greek continental shelf in order to carry out illegal seismic surveys, confirms once again that it continues to ignore the fundamental rules of International Law the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
At the same time, it points out that this action creates further tension in a vulnerable region where attention is currently focused on providing assistance and expressing messages of support and solidarity.
These actions, the Foreign Ministry stresses, show once again that Turkey continues to act contrary to its calls for the International Community, including the Conclusions of the European Council last October, which called on Turkey to end these actions.
It further stresses that Greece reiterates its condemnation of this misconduct, which removes the prospect of a constructive dialogue and calls on Turkey to immediately withdraw the illegal Navtex it has issued.
In this context, the Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias instructed to immediately make a protest to the Turkish side, as well as to inform allies and partners about the ongoing Turkish provocative behaviour.
Greek anti-Navtex on the occasion of the illegal Turkish NE of Rhodes - MFA: Instructions @NikosDendias for a protest in Ankarahttps://t.co/HkRCxygwTW pic.twitter.com/bdC11CRohB
- RES (@amna_news) November 1, 2020
