The Member for Adelaide Steve Georganas has written to the Prime Minister of Australia Mr Scott Morrison, informing him on recent provocative activities by Turkey in the Mediterrnaean in an attempt to establish its own illegal exclussive economic zone within other nations' territorial waters.

"As a member of the international community, Australia cannot stay silent on this matter. We should play our part to ensure that the delicate peace and stability in the region is preserved".

Mr Georganas calls on Australia as a member of the international community to defend the territorial waters according to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. "If a precedence is set as a result of a territorial dispute in the eastern Mediterranean, this may have unintended consequences on other nations including Australia", Mr Gerorganas warns.

Mr Georganas says he intends to move a motion in the Parliament, calling the Government to:

(a) Join the rest of the EU to urge the Turkish Government to cease such provocative actions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

(b) Urge that the limitation of exclusive economic zones and the continental shelf should be addressed through negotiations and in good faith.

In the meantime Greek Australian organisations have called on the Australian Prime Minister to take a stand on the issue and condemn Turkey’s provocative illegal activity in the region which ignores already established EEZs in the area.

A letter to Mr Scott Morrison by the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne signed by the President Mr Bill Papastergiadis says that Australia cannot stay silent on this matter any longer.

"It is in Australia’s interest to join the international community in defending the territorial rights of Greece and Cyprus which are based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

"We respectfully encourage you to join the many other world leaders, including many in the European Union and the United States to ensure that all the countries in the Eastern Mediterranean respect the International law and the existing EEZs", the letter concludes.