The Maritime Law (UNCLOS III):

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1 The Maritime Law (UNCLOS III): DELIMITATION OF MARITIME potential rights and techniques for re-delimitating BOUNDARIES sea zones. BETWEEN AND TURKEY TheGREECE Greek Turkey case. E. DOUKAKIS, Associate Professor, National Technical University Athens Visiting Professor, Cyprus University of Technology

BETWEEN AND TURKEY TheGREECE Greek Turkey case. E.

2 TOPICS OF THE PRESENTATION 1. SHORT HISTORY OF THE LAW OF THE SEA 2. CRUCIAL FUTURES OF ZONE DELIMITATION 3. NEW GREEK INTERNAL WATERS IMPLEMENTING LEGAL BAYS 4. PROPOSED METHODS TO DELIMITATE BORDERS OF COUNTRIES WITH OPPOSITE COASTLINES 5. THE MARITIME BORDER BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY 6. APPLICATION AND COMPARISON OF METHODS 7. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

NEW GREEK INTERNAL WATERS IMPLEMENTING LEGAL BAYS 4.

3 1. SHORT HISTORY OF THE LAW OF THE SEA United Nations Convection of the Law of the Sea UNCLOS UNCLOS I GENEVA 1958 UNCLOS II GENEVA 1960 UNCLOS III NEW YORK / th NATIONAL APPROVAL 4/ NATIONAL APPROVALS 7/1995 GREEK APPROVAL UN member states that have not signed: Eritrea, Israel, Peru, Syria, Turkey, United States, Venezuela TODAY: ALL COUNTRIES EXCEPT ISRAEL, TURKEY AND VENEZUELA

160 NATIONAL APPROVALS 7/1995 GREEK APPROVAL UN member states that have not signed: Eritrea, Israel,

4 The importance of the baseline reference system

5 2. Crucial futures of zone delimitation 1. Baselines: normal and straight 2. Legal bays

6 1a. THE NORMAL BASELINE SYSTEM Article 5 The normal baseline is the low-water line along the coast as marked on large-scale charts officially recognized by the state The normal baseline is a land line with double curvature

marked on large-scale charts officially recognized by

7 1b. THE STRAIGHT BASELINE SYSTEM Article 7 In localities where the coastline is deeply indented and cut into, or if there is a fringe of islands along the coast in its immediate vicinity, the method of straight baselines joining appropriate points may be employed.. The straight baselines must not depart to any appreciable extent from the general direction of the coast. THE STRAIGHT BASELINE IS A MARINE LINE

straight baselines joining appropriate points may be employed.

8 Closing lines with straight baselines (Okinawa/Japan)

9 PERFECTURE TERRITORIAL WATERS (Km 2 ) NORMAL BASELINE STRAIGHT BASELINE DIFFERENCE (Km 2 ) CHANIA IRAKLIO RETHIMNO LASITHI Σ= Σ= Σ=894 CRETE: re-delimitation of territorial waters normal baseline straight baseline

022 143 RETHIMNO 1.484 1.568 84 LASITHI 3.368 3.957 589 Σ=10.801 Σ=11.

10 2. Legal bay: 24 nm internal waters Bay Area 24 miles closure line Area of semicircle If bay area > area of semi-cirlce > then, it is a legal bay

11 OVERVIEW OF LEGAL BAYS IN GREECE

12 2 13, ,7 BAY Nr LEGAL BAYS IN GREECE AND SURFACE COMPARISON OF THE TERRITORIAL WATERS BETWEEN STRAIGHT BASELINES AND NORMAL BASELINES BAY BREATH (nm) STRAIGHT BASELINE SURFACE (km 2 ) NORMAL BASELINE SURFACE (km 2 ) SURFACE DIFFERENCE (km 2 ) ,4 7 23, ,0 8 23, ,6 6 22, ,5 9 22, ,6 1 18, ,2 3 17, , , , , ,9 %

DIFFERENCE (km 2 ) 5 24 1.489 1.084 405 37,4 7 23,9 1.483 1.140 343 30,0 8 23,3 3.987 3.510 477 13,6 6 22,2 1.842 1.

13 18 8, ,9 4 8, ,4 10 7, ,1 22 6, ,6 13 6, ,5 16 6, ,2 21 6, ,1

14 14 5, ,0 20 5, ,3 23 5, ,7 24 4, ,9 19 4, ,4 29 4, ,3 26 4, ,6 15 4, ,6 17 3, ,5 25 3, ,8 27 3, ,1 28 3,1 78,90 78,17 0,7 0,9 30 3,0 76,16 75,46 0,7 0,9

108 2 1,6 15 4,1 110 108 2 1,6 17 3,5 139 139 0 3,5 25 3,3 9 8 1 9,8

15 49 2,8 63,13 62,71 0,42 0,7 44 2,6 74,59 74,16 0,43 0,6 43 2,6 6,84 6,42 0,42 2,6 31 2,6 67,84 67,44 0,40 2,6 37 2,4 61,35 61,01 0,34 0,6 39 2,4 59,54 59,19 0,35 0,6 46 2,3 57,13 56,85 0,28 0,5 42 2,2 51,27 51,03 0,24 0,5 41 2,1 159,34 159,28 0,06 0, ,0 48,01 47,81 0,20 0,4 40 1,8 42,57 42,44 0,13 0,3 47 1,7 40,56 40,44 0,12 0,3 48 1,7 38,76 38,65 0,11 0,3 45 1,7 42,22 42,11 0,11 0,3 38 1,7 38,55 38,44 0,11 0,3

51,27 51,03 0,24 0,5 41 2,1 159,34 159,28 0,06 0,04 36 2,0 48,01 47,81 0,20 0,4 40 1,8 42,57 42,44 0,13

16 conclusion: closing legal bays in Greece The surface difference of the internal waters gained by the introduction of legal bay delimitation is ca Km 2. This is very important regarding the size of the country and the fact that it has no internal waters today.

17 nevertheless.. none of the previous futures can be exercised in case of countries with opposite coastlines with less than 24nm maritime breadth!..unless agreed!

18 INTERNATIONALLY PROPOSED METHODOLOGIES TO DELIMINATE MARITIME BORDERS BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES WITH OPPOSITE COASTLINES 1. EQUIDISTANCE (or median line) 2. SIMPLIFIED EQUIDISTANCE 3. HALF EFFECT 4. THALWEG 5. COASTLINE LENGTH COMPARISON 6. GENERAL DIRECTION 7. EQUAL RATIO 8. POPULATION COMPARISON 9. METHODS BASED ON JURIDICAL DECISIONS to produce an equitable solution!

HALF EFFECT 4. THALWEG 5. COASTLINE LENGTH COMPARISON 6. GENERAL DIRECTION 7. EQUAL RATIO 8.

19 The equidistance method Country B The simplified equidistance Country B Country A Country A The equidistance line is defined as a line every point of which is equidistant from the nearest points on the territorial sea baselines of the two States A simplified equidistance line consists of the smallest practicable number of elements that maintain the general course of the original equidistance line

on the territorial sea baselines of the two States A simplified equidistance line consists of the

20 The half effect method a small forwarding island of a State can push the bordering line towards the opposite State and in case of many of such islands, the result is not equitable for the opposite State. In this case, the influence of these entities is reduced to half and finally the equidistant point is set at the ¼ of the distance. new boundary middle point Country B half effect point island Country A old boundary

In this case, the influence of these entities is reduced to half and finally the equidistant point is

21 4. THE THALWEG METHOD The thalweg method is defined as the line of maximum depth 5. THE COASTLINE LENGTH COMPARISON METHOD The first step is to ascertain relevant points of the coast and then measure or calculate the total length of the coast. The latter is determined using a minimum number of straight baselines and since this problem has an infinite number of solutions, this delimitation should be coordinated closely with the negotiators. Several methods may be used depending on the agreement between the States, such as: 1.The ratio of the coastal lengths can divide the whole area with the same ratio 2.The ratio of the coastal lengths can divide the whole area with any percentage of this ratio agreed by the negotiators.

22 6. THE GENERAL DIRECTION METHOD To establish the general direction of a coastline, it may be divided into short segments and the azimuths of the lines linking all the consecutive basepoints are averaged to obtain the average direction. The bisector of the azimuth lines of the opposite States constitutes their common maritime border.

23 AGREED MARITIME BORDERS (SINCE 1923) 52 pair of points TURKEY One pair of points one equidistant point GREECE (no islands)

24 DELIMITATION THROUGH THE EQUIDISTANCE METHOD TURKEY Straight baselines GREECE

25 DELIMITATION THROUGH THE SIMPLIFIED EQUIDISTANCE METHOD TURKEY GREECE

26 DELIMITATION THROUGH THE THALWEG METHOD

27 THALWEG vs AGREEMENT

28 DELIMITATION THROUGH THE HALF EFFECT METHOD

29 DELIMITATION THROUGH THE GENERAL DIRECTION METHOD (detail)

30 DELIMITATION THROUGH THE COASTLINE LENGTH COMPARISON METHOD (part)

31 PROPOSED METHODS vs. AGREEMENT METHODOLOGY GREECE + (Km 2 ) TURKEY + (Km 2 ) DIFFERENCE GREECE / TURKEY SIMPLIFIED EQUIDISTANCE HALF EFFECT COASTLINE LENGTH GENERAL DIRECTION EQUIDISTANCE THALWEG

32 CONCLUSIONS q All methodologies delimitate bordering lines quite close to the existing agreement

33 CONCLUSIONS q All methodologies delimitate bordering lines quite close to the existing agreement q The bordering polylines are much simpler than the existing polyline with the exception of the Thalweg methodology

34 CONCLUSIONS q All methodologies delimitate bordering lines quite close to the existing agreement q The bordering polylines are much simpler than the existing polyline with the exception of the Thalweg methodology q Three methodologies give a profit area of 115 Km 2 to Greece and three a loss of 85 Km 2 respectively. q The greatest gains for Greece occur in the maritime region between Rhodes and Kastellorizo islands. The reason for this is that the agreed delimitation may be considered as non- equitable for Greece in this region (according to UNCLOS III)

35 CONCLUSIONS q All methodologies delimitate bordering lines quite close to the existing agreement q The bordering polylines are much simpler than the existing polyline with the exception of the Thalweg methodology q Three methodologies give a profit area of 120 Km 2 to Greece and three a loss of 85 Km 2 respectively. The greatest gains for Greece occur in the maritime region between Rhodes and Kastellorizo islands. The reason for this is that the agreed delimitation can be considered as non-equitable for Greece in this region (according to UNCLOS III) Ø The equidistance methodology is proposed as the most equitable solution for Greece-Turkey maritime re-delimitation with very simple geometry and fair surface differences (compared to agreement)

Delimitation of the Maritime Boundaries between the adjacent States. Nugzar Dundua United Nations The Nippon Foundation 2006-2007

Delimitation of the Maritime Boundaries between the adjacent States Nugzar Dundua United Nations The Nippon Foundation 2006-2007 2007 What does delimitation means The low of the sea, in its essence, divides