A Greek presidential decree defining straight baselines from which territorial waters are counted entered into force on Sunday, it was enacted to extend these Greek waters in the Ionian Sea from 6 to 12 nautical miles
This was announced by the Greek Foreign Ministry.
He said that with the publication in the Government Gazette, the Greek presidential decree defining straight baselines in the waters of the Ionian Sea from the northern point of the Ionian Islands region to Cape Tenaron in the south of the Greek Peloponnese peninsula went into effect on Sunday.
“The waters surrounded by the shores of the bays and the straight lines connecting the natural points of entry into them are inland waters of the country”, – the document reads. – “The presidential decree was issued pursuant to a law ratifying the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This is a necessary step for the process of extending the country’s coastal zone in the above area, an action which, under the Convention, is an inalienable right of the country.”
“The Presidential Decree states that Greece reserves the right to exercise its relevant rights in other regions of its territory as they derive from the Convention on the Law of the Sea, which reflects customary international law”, – the document said.
“Greece, strictly committed to the protection of international law, including the law of the sea, always acts with an eye to international legality”, – the Foreign Ministry stressed.