A maritime deal struck between Turkey and the UN-recognized government of Libya seems to have spoiled the big game planned by Greece-led Mediterranean countries which have tried to exclude Turkey from the entire benefits of the rich resources of the Mediterranean sea. According to their plan, despite having the widest coast, Turkey must be a country that needs to kept within a limited area in which Turks would just be able to find a seashore for swimming in the sea!
Let’s look at closer what this deal really means. With this significant step, Turkish government has first and foremost put forth its strong position and shown that other countries will not be able to act unilaterally and reach the utmost lucrative undersea resources such as oil and gas without Turkey’s consent.
The “memorandum of understanding” between Turkey and Libya would not be effective unless it is ratified by the parliaments of both sides. We now see that parliaments of both Libya and Turkey have ratified the MoU. Turkey is so keen and determined to protect both its own rights stemming from international laws and those of TRNC in Mediterranean Sea. It will never allow any fait accompli that will deprive itself from doing a series of exploration of oil and gas resources in the areas where Turkey has already announced as exclusive economic zones(EEZ) that gives an opportunity to do such activities in Mediterranean sea within 200 nautical miles in accordance with the international laws.
In a nutshell, this important deal signed by the two countries will lead to redraw the map of the boundaries of the coastal counties in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and strengthen the position of Turkey for the upcoming period, disrupting the plans of other regional countries and their supporters.
We can conclude that other countries should have grasped very well there will be no possibility to take a step unilaterally in Eastern Mediterranean region without Turkey’s full consent.
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