Whenever I write about Turkey and the East Med, I get a gazillion replies with the same message: look at this MAP! So many problems can be traced to this map—and the feeling it is meant to create that Turkey is a victim in the East Med. Let’s talk about this map.

To begin with, it’s not really a map of “Greek claims in the eastern Med.” Greek officials do not show this map. In fact, they rarely show maps at all. You won’t find it in official documents. This map is a derivation; it is not an official, stated “claim.”

This map is an academic exercise about what a median-line approach to exclusive economic zones (EEZ) might look like. It is based on the idea that absent any agreement to the contrary, each island gets the full EEZ that it is entitled to by international law. That’s it.

In other words, it is a starting point. In its agreement with Egypt, Greece acknowledged that islands might not have a full effect in drawing an EEZ. So, it’s disingenuous to present this map as a *fixed* position that conveys *maximalist* claims. It isn’t and it doesn’t.

But also, look at this map more carefully. The subtle message is this: see how much Greece gets and how little Turkey gets—how unfair. That’s the message. But most of this map is relatively uncontroversial, no?

Here is what I mean: look at the area between Greece and Italy; who *else* would get that EEZ? Or the sea between Greece and Libya? Or even the Aegean, which we will turn to later. The Aegean is largely a sea of Greek islands; who else would have an EEZ there?

This map is meant to take one dispute, over Kastellorizo, and pretend that this is what the “conflict” is about. It’s not. Remember there are at least four maritime conflict zones that involve Turkey and either Greece or Cyprus.

The first maritime dispute is over areas that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has licensed off the *southern* coast of Cyprus. This is not a maritime dispute—it’s a dispute over Cypriot sovereignty. But as a “territorial” dispute, it’s an odd one.

Second is a dispute between Cyprus and Turkey off the western coast of the island. This is based on the idea that Turkey and Egypt should split this sea, and that Cyprus is just in the way, so to speak. (It is unclear on what legal basis Turkey draws the outer ends of this map.)

Third is the dispute over Kastellorizo. As I said above, Greece has recognized in its agreement with Egypt that islands might have a reduced influence. So this is a dispute to be settled by negotiation or by going to court. No one disagrees with that basic fact.

One note here: while both sides claim this area, only Turkey is *doing something* about this claim—issuing licenses and doing surveys. Greece has refrained from licensing in areas that might be disputed (Cyprus too—its licenses are really south vis-à-vis its entire EEZ).

Fourth is the claim created by the Turkey-Libya MOU that extends the Turkish continental shelf claim right next to major Greek islands. According to Turkey, an area offshore Crete should be exploited by Turkey—even if it is miles and miles away from the nearest Turkish shore.

In other words, *even* if one accepts that the Greek default position over Kastellorizo is unreasonable, that position only affects one of the four maritime disputes in the area. And Greece has shown, in its deal with Egypt, a willingness to compromise.

Speaking of "maximalist" claims, let’s not forget this map, which puts Turkey at the center and treats islands as an inconvenience. Cyprus? Just in the way. The islands in the Aegean? Irrelevant. One cannot show this map, I don't think, and accuse the other side of "maximalism."

My point is—that original map is meant to stoke passions and convey to Turkey that it is a victim, to conceal its own aspirations, and to obscure the complexity of the various maritime conflicts in the region. It’s a bad and a bad-faith map. Let’s stop using it. Fin.

PS. A few of you have rightly pointed out the original map shows Lesvos as within the Turkish EEZ—I didn’t even notice that, so thanks for flagging! Further evidence, I guess, that map doesn’t deserve to be taken seriously.