Turkey challenges Cyprus and Greece’s maritime claims in new UN letter

Turkey has once again asserted its position in the long-running dispute over maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean by sending a formal letter to the United Nations, rejecting claims made by Greece, the Republic of Cyprus, and Egypt.

The letter, dated 16 February and submitted by Turkey’s permanent representative to the UN, Ahmet Yildiz (document A/80/642), defends Turkey’s controversial 2019 maritime memorandum of understanding with Libya as the legitimate basis for its maritime rights, while accusing the three countries of “selective interpretation” of international law and pursuing “excessive” or “illegal” claims.

The Eastern Mediterranean has become a hotspot for energy and territorial disputes due to potential offshore natural gas reserves. At the core is the question of how far islands – such as those belonging to Greece or the divided island of Cyprus – can extend their maritime zones, including the continental shelf (the seabed and subsoil) and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ, granting rights to resources up to 200 nautical miles from shore).

Greece and Cyprus (the internationally recognized government in the south of the island) base their claims on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which generally grants islands full EEZ and continental shelf rights. Turkey, which has not ratified UNCLOS, argues that islands should not generate expansive zones that “cut off” mainland countries like itself, advocating instead for equitable solutions that prioritize continental landmass.

Turkey’s 2019 deal with Libya’s UN-recognized government drew a line across the Mediterranean that overlaps with areas Greece and Cyprus consider their own, effectively blocking potential energy corridors and pipelines. The letter reiterates Turkey’s objections to Greece’s maritime spatial planning efforts and describes agreements like the Greece-Egypt partial EEZ delimitation as invalid.

It also questions the Republic of Cyprus’s authority to represent the entire island, reflecting Turkey’s support for the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in the north – recognized only by Turkey – and its push for a two-state solution rather than reunification under a federal model.

This diplomatic exchange comes amid fragile regional dynamics. It was issued just five days after a 11 February meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, where both sides sought to ease tensions through dialogue on issues like migration and trade.

Ankara meeting reinforces commitment to calm Greek-Turkish relations

Despite occasional thaws, maritime disagreements remain a flashpoint, with past incidents including naval standoffs, energy exploration blockades, and threats of military action.

Greece and Cyprus view such Turkish letters as routine provocations that ignore international law and complicate EU-Turkey relations – Cyprus is an EU member, giving the bloc leverage in enlargement talks.

Egyptian and Greek officials have dismissed the latest note as unsurprising and without legal merit. The UN routinely circulates these communications as official documents without endorsing positions, serving as a public record of states’ claims.

The dispute ties into broader geopolitical stakes: energy security for Europe (seeking alternatives to Russian gas), migration flows through the region, and Turkey’s ambitions as a regional power.

While no immediate escalation is reported, the letter underscores persistent divisions that hinder cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, even as talks on the Cyprus political problem – divided since 1974 following a Turkish military intervention – continue intermittently under UN auspices.

Caption: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (L) attend a joint press conference following their meeting in Ankara, Turkey, 11 February 2026. EPA/NECATI SAVAS