In his press conference at the Thessaloniki International Fair, SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras revealed that his government was planning on visiting Italy, in order to sign an agreement for the delineation of maritime zones with Italy.
Specifically the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias was scheduled to visit Rome on the 7th of September and it appears that the relevant diplomatic texts have been exchanged. The deal appears to have been based on the previous agreement signed in 1977.
The previous Samaras-Venizelos government had initiated talks with Greece’s neighbors – carrying on from the efforts of the Kostas Karamanlis cabinet of 2004-2009 – in order to submit the coordinates of the Hellenic continental shelf to the United Nations.
Talks with Italy, Albania and Egypt took place in 2014, with Foreign Affairs Minister at the time Evangelos Venizelos agreeing to “modernize” the 1977 agreement with his Italian counterpart Federica Mogherini. However the agreement fell through, as Italy was reserved about EEZs and fishing matters, among others.
Furthermore, the Albanian government of Edi Rama has disputed the validity of the 2009 agreement on maritime zones and has threatened to appeal in court. This matter has undoubtedly put a strain on relations between Athens and Tirana, with Greece considering its options, given the looming agreement with Rome.
