Presenter: Panayiotis Pantazis
Synopsis:
The Aegean conflict constitutes a set of disputes which involves elements such as sovereignty, sovereign rights, and national security. It has caused tension in Greek-Turkish relations, with both countries contesting each other’s rights and responsibilities in the Aegean Sea. This tension has led Turkey to issue a casus belli (threat of war) over Greece’s intentions to exercise its legal rights according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while both countries have engaged into a costly arms race to defend their territories. In this presentation, first, I discuss the historical background of Greek-Turkish relations and the reasons that led to the Aegean conflict. I explore the parameters of the dispute, including the calls for the revision of the Treaty of Lausanne, the delimitation of the continental shelf, the territorial waters and the grey zones. Finally, I discuss the challenges, the implications for peace and security in the Aegean region, but also strategies that can lead to a peaceful resolution.
Bio:
Panagiotis Pantazis is a PhD candidate in the Greek Studies program, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University, Australia. He has been teaching History and Modern Greek since 2013 at independent and government schools. His research interests focus on international relations and conflict resolution.
Sponsors:
During the course of the year considerable expenses are incurred in staging the seminars. In order to mitigate these costs individuals or organisations are invited to donate against a lecture of their choice.
You too can donate for one or more seminars and (optionally) let your name or brand be known as a patron of culture to our members, visitors and followers, as well as the broader artistic and cultural community of Melbourne.
Please email: info@greekcommunity.com.au or call 03 9662 2722.
We thank the following corporate sponsors:
Delphi Bank, Delphi Business Group, Symposiarch
