In August, Egypt and Greece signed a deal to maximise benefits from riches available in the exclusive economic zones of both countries A maritime demarcation deal between Egypt and Greece establishing an exclusive economic zone between the two countries was published on the United Nations' Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea website, Greece-based news agency ANA-MPA reported on Thursday. Diplomatic sources told the Greek agency that this is the first time in four decades the international body has published an agreement between Greece and one of its neighbouring countries on maritime zones. The UN is expected to publish the agreement Greece signed with Italy demarcating their maritime boundaries on 9 June, the sources added. In August, Egypt and Greece signed a deal to maximise benefits from riches available in the exclusive economic zones of both countries, particularly the promising natural gas and oil reserves. The process of negotiating exclusive economic zones between Egypt and Greece was launched over three years ago during a visit by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to Athens, where he and then Greek prime minister Alexi Tsipras agreed that to help each country benefit from the possible resources of its national waters an agreement needed to be signed. The agreement caused the ire of Turkey, which claimed that the agreement is “null and void” and falls in the area of Turkey's continental shelf.
