Greece Ratifies Mediterranean Pact with Egypt

Greece’s parliament ratified its recently signed accord with Egypt late Thursday evening, outlining its maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea. The bilateral agreement comes in response to alleged Turkish aggression in the region, following Ankara’s announcement that it was extending its gas exploration mission near Cyprus. According to the Greek—Egyptian pact, derided by Turkey as “null and void,” the countries can now survey and exploit gas and oil resources in the agreed-upon territory. Earlier on Thursday, Turkey declared it would hold military and firing exercises in the area, leading to a further escalation of an already tense situation. The Turkish vessel’s seismic survey in the Mediterranean is considered by Greece, as well as Egypt, Israel, France, the UAE and others, to be a violation of international maritime resolutions and Greece’s sovereignty. Turkey, meanwhile, claims Greece’s continental shelf is unfairly demarcated and infringes on its territorial rights.