A stir was caused in the media after a photo of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the National Defense University in Istanbul standing in front of a map that showed Turkey extend halfway into the Aegean Sea was published.

The map in the photograph depicts Turkey’s maritime borders  deep into the eastern and southeastern Aegean to the Cyclades including a 462,000-square kilometer area while it is titled “Turkey, Blue Homeland”.

Meanwhile, on the map, Turkey appears to share borders with Egypt and Libya with Kastellorizo and Cyprus’ EEZ being disregarded.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias in an interview with Alpha Greek Radio called the photo a “public relations stunt,” adding that even if Turkey keeps acting like “the region’s troublemaker” Greece will not take the bait.

“States’ borders are not defined by whatever map some ministry decides to draw, but on the basis of international law,” Mr Dendias said.

“Turkey’s opinions belong to a minority of one” highlighting that all that the Turkish leadership is accomplishing with such actions is to “establish Turkey’s image as a violator. International law cannot be trumped by public relations stunts”.

In addition to these comments Mr Dendias pointed out that Turkey keeps violating Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone in its search for hydrocarbon deposits.

“Cyprus is an independent European Union state. It is clear that, along with its sovereignty, Turkey is also violating the Republic of Cyprus’ sovereign rights. We hope Turkey falls in line,” he said.

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