ImiaKardak

ImiaKardak refers to a pair of small uninhabited islets in the Aegean Sea, known as Imia in Greece and Kardak in Turkey. The naming dispute reflects the broader territorial disagreement between the two neighboring NATO members. The islets are situated close to the Turkish coast but within what Greece considers its territorial waters. The dispute gained international attention in January 1996 when a military standoff occurred after a Turkish cargo ship ran aground on the islets and both countries sent military forces to the area. Greece maintains that it has sovereignty over the islets based on international treaties and historical continuity, while Turkey argues that the islets were not specifically mentioned in any agreements and thus their status is undetermined. The crisis was temporarily resolved through diplomatic intervention by the United States, but the fundamental disagreement remains unresolved. The dispute is part of a larger set of issues between Greece and Turkey concerning maritime boundaries, continental shelf rights, and airspace in the Aegean Sea. Despite periodic tensions, both countries have generally avoided escalation of the specific ImiaKardak dispute while maintaining their respective positions.