Samaras: We can declare EEX whenever we want

Antonis Samaras, Prime Minister of Greece, has made striking statements prior to a High Level Cooperation Council to be held on 5th March in Istanbul where Samaras will chair along with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan with regard to setting out of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is a sea zone prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind. In response to a question on the EEX following his meeting with French President François Hollande, Samaras said, "I will pay a visit to Turkey in 15 days. Some attitudes don't seem helpful for resolution of the Aegean dispute. We have signed the Convention on the Law of Sea. According to Law, Greece has the right to declare the EEZ whenever it feels like. We would like to take concrete and right steps towards it and resolve all kinds of problems in a friendly manner." This is the first time Samaras has declared so clearly on this issue. Hollande, for his part, said, "Exploration of natural gas resources is an opportunity both for Greece and Europe. I believe that the International Law will win. This will be possible, if France can use these resources along with Greece." Hollande has been warmly welcome by the citizen unlike his German counterpart Angela Merkel, who faced severe protests.