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Only days after meeting with his Greek counterpart in Athens, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has reiterated his view that the his country\u2019s dispute with Greece does not only concern maritime boundaries \u2013 specifically the continental shelf and exclusive economic zones (EEZ) \u2013 but also broader issues, including the \u201cdemilitarization\u201d of Greek islands.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have problems in the Aegean; we don\u2019t have just one problem, we have many problems, we have to discuss them,\u201d he said, in an interview with Turkish TV channel A Haber.<\/p>\n
The problems are \u201cthe continuation of the militarization of the islands, which must be demilitarized, the continental shelf, the territorial waters, formations whose status has not been determined, the airspace, the EEZ,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Greece maintains that questions of sovereignty are non-negotiable and should not be part of the bilateral dialogue. The government remains committed to its long-standing position of seeking recourse to international jurisdiction solely on the issue of the continental shelf and EEZ dispute.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are many issues. For these issues, after describing them properly, we can proceed with the appropriate solution. We have to see how a different approach can be taken, looking of course at the previous efforts, if this possibility exists,\u201d Fidan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of describing only the problems, let\u2019s go higher and, as our president says, the Aegean is a wonderful environment. We want to turn it into a paradise that serves the prosperity, security, peace, happiness of the two countries, with political and military agreements that we will sign,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n