United Nations General Assembly addresses Mediterranean and Black Sea security

During the 81st United Nations General Assembly high-level week in New York, regional security and diplomatic tensions are taking center stage. In the Eastern Mediterranean, discussions are focused on the Aegean Sea and the Cyprus issue. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Greek Foreign Minister Yorgos Yerapetritis are both present in New York, where long-standing disagreements regarding continental shelf delimitation, exclusive economic zones, and the militarization of islands remain unresolved despite ongoing dialogue.

Separately, Bulgarian President Iliana Yotova addressed the UN, calling for the transformation of the Black Sea from a high-risk threat zone into a secure area for trade, energy, and tourism. Yotova emphasized that the conflict in Ukraine has expanded beyond territorial waters, making Black Sea security a global rather than a regional issue. She advocated for moving conflicts from the military sphere to the diplomatic and political arena to ensure stability.