Türkiye has rejected statements by Greek officials regarding a possible extension of Greece’s territorial waters in the Aegean Sea to 12 nautical miles, stressing that such unilateral actions are unacceptable and contrary to international law.

Ankara’s stance on the issue is clear, the Defense Ministry sources told reporters at a weekly briefing on Thursday. They emphasized that a fair and lawful sharing of maritime jurisdiction in the Aegean is only possible through dialogue conducted in good faith. They warned that actions and claims that ignore existing disputes and violate Türkiye’s rights cannot have legal consequences for the country.

"As Türkiye, we advocate that a fair, equitable and internationally lawful sharing of maritime jurisdiction in the Aegean is only possible within the framework of mutual dialogue and good faith,” the ministry said. It added that Greece’s unilateral actions, claims and statements disregarding contested areas are unacceptable.

The ministry underlined that the Turkish military remains determined to protect the country’s interests in line with the "Blue Homeland” doctrine, a concept defining Türkiye’s maritime jurisdiction areas, including its continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

"In line with the ‘Blue Homeland’ concept, the Turkish Armed Forces are resolutely continuing their duty to protect all rights and interests in our country’s maritime jurisdiction areas,” the statement said.

The remarks came amid persistent tensions between Ankara and Athens over maritime delimitation in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, areas linked to sovereignty disputes, airspace issues and potential economic benefits.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in comments to local media that unresolved disputes in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean hinder progress in bilateral ties and could affect Türkiye’s access to European Union funds. His remarks came ahead of a planned visit to Türkiye, where he is expected to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Feb. 11.

Mitsotakis told Skai TV that resolving maritime delimitation disputes could bring Türkiye closer to the EU but warned that the continued existence of a "casus belli” in the Aegean would prevent Ankara’s access to European funding. Mitsotakis also acknowledged that Athens had used the issue as leverage against Türkiye.

Tensions rose in recent weeks after Türkiye extended navigation warnings, known as Navtex, following what it described as Greek violations of its maritime boundaries. Mitsotakis criticized the warnings as illegal and said Greece would not seek Türkiye’s permission for projects in the disputed waters.

Greece has expanded its territorial waters in the Ionian Sea from 6 to 12 nautical miles and signed a maritime delimitation agreement with Egypt in the Eastern Mediterranean, while avoiding similar steps in the Aegean due to Türkiye’s objections. In 1995, the Turkish Parliament declared that a unilateral extension beyond 6 nautical miles in the Aegean would constitute a casus belli.

Somalia

The ministry sources also addressed Türkiye’s military activities in Somalia, saying the Somali-Turkish Task Force and the Air Component Command stationed in Somalia continue to support the country’s counterterrorism capacity through training, military assistance and advisory activities.

They added that the Air Component Command has been strengthened with new assignments and that newly deployed elements will further contribute to Somalia’s fight against terrorism.

Syria

On developments in Syria, the sources welcomed the signing of a new integration agreement between the Syrian government and the PKK terrorist group’s offshoot, the YPG, on Jan. 30, saying it is closely monitoring developments.

It emphasized that the process should strengthen Syria’s unitary structure and the principle of "one state, one army,” calling for transparency, mutual trust and security-based evaluations, and expressed hope for lasting peace and stability in the region.