Turkey has objected to a natural gas exploration agreement between Greece and US energy giant Chevron in the eastern Mediterranean, calling the activities unlawful and a violation of international law and good neighborly relations, the Anka news agency reported.
Chevron signed exclusive lease agreements on February 16 to explore hydrocarbon reserves in offshore blocks south of Crete and the Peloponnese, expanding the US company’s presence in the region.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing in Ankara on Thursday, Rear Adm. Zeki Aktürk, press and public relations adviser and spokesperson for the Defense Ministry, said Greece’s activities “do not directly affect our continental shelf, but constitute a violation of international law and good neighborly relations.”
Aktürk said the exploration contradicts a 2019 maritime delimitation memorandum between Turkey and Libya.
The 2019 agreement between Turkey and Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Accord drew a maritime boundary in the eastern Mediterranean between the two countries.
Greece, Cyprus and the European Union have rejected the deal, arguing it disregards the maritime rights of Greek islands, while Ankara says it protects its legitimate interests in the region.
Aktürk added that while the activities do not directly impact Turkey’s continental shelf, they violate maritime boundaries declared by Libya to the United Nations in May of last year.
“We continue to provide the necessary support to the Libyan authorities to take action against these unilateral and unlawful activities by Greece,” the ministry said.
Greece rejected Turkey’s objections the same day.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said Athens is pursuing an “active policy” in exercising its sovereign rights and that the exploration permits were granted in areas under Greek jurisdiction in line with international law, according to Greek media.
The dispute comes two weeks after Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding with Chevron on February 5 to explore potential cooperation in oil and gas exploration and production.
Under the MoU, Turkey’s state-run Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and Chevron agreed to assess possible joint projects. The agreement does not authorize drilling or production but establishes a framework for technical and commercial discussions.
Maritime boundaries in the eastern Mediterranean have long been contested between Turkey and Greece, with overlapping claims complicating offshore energy development.
Founded in 1879 and headquartered in San Ramon, California, Chevron is one of the world’s largest integrated oil and gas companies and the second-largest oil producer in the United States.
The company operates across North America, the Middle East, Africa and the eastern Mediterranean and has a major stake in Israel’s Leviathan offshore natural gas field.