Relations between Greece and Turkey have undergone frequent exacerbations over the years, but this last situation has something explosive because it affects a very delicate sector, namely the maritime rights on gas and oil reserves in the eastern Mediterranean.
Premise
Historically, relations between Greece and Turkey have been characterized by alternating periods of mutual hostility and reconciliation since Greece gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830. Later the two Mediterranean countries faced each other in four major wars: the Greek war -Turkish (1897), the First Balkan War of 1912-1913, the First World War (1914-1918) and finally the Greek-Turkish War (1919-1922), followed by a period of "apparently good" relations in the ' 30 and 40s.
After the Second World War, in the period of the Cold War, both countries found themselves allies in NATO even if there was no lack of crisis situations.
Relations deteriorated again in the 50s due to the Istanbul riots of 1955, when a looting, tolerated by the Turkish authorities, aimed at targeting the Greek minority in Istanbul (then made up of around 100.000 people) reopened old wounds. The riots, organized by the Turkish Democratic Party, were aimed at encouraging the emigration of the Greek ethnic group, reducing their presence from about 200.000 people (in 1924) to just 2.500 in 2006.
Another crisis situation was the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, which was divided with the northern part controlled by Turkey (recognized as a republic only by Ankara) and the military crisis of 1996 that took place off the uninhabited islets of Imia (Kardak in Turkish), in fact under the control of Greece but claimed by Turkey, which brought about a conflict between the two countries.
After 1999 there was a rapprochement, with a change in the previously negative stance of the Greek government on Turkey's accession to the European Union. The regime change in Turkey highlighted a resumption of the previous impedimental policy with clearly economic ends. Greece and Cyprus believe that Turkish claims to conduct exploration of oil and gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean violate their sovereignty. The European Union also intervened in the matter under the German Presidency which repeatedly condemned Ankara, obtaining only an apparent calm.
Greece has promised to defend its sovereignty and the European Union has requested Ankara to reopen a quiet dialogue on mutual ambitions on gas reserves in those key areas of the Eastern Mediterranean, in particular on those maritime economic areas that they believe overlap, in how different designs are there on the extensions of the respective continental shelves. In other words, Athens believes that Ankara is violating international law but Ankara is not taking a step back.
Let's try to understand better
After Merkel's German intervention, in early August Greece and Egypt signed "an agreement that traces the maritime borders" between the two states and "creates an exclusive economic zone between the two countries". The Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry, in a joint press conference with his Greek colleague, underlined that the agreement "reflects the privileged relations between the two countries and allows to profit from the resources found in the area", in particular the hydrocarbons. For his part, the Greek minister affirmed that this agreement is "the opposite" of that signed last year between Turkey and the Libyan government in Tripoli, which "should be thrown in the trash".
Turkey has declared that it does not recognize the so-called "agreement on maritime borders" and will demonstrate its ineffectiveness "on the ground and in international" tables, arguing that the agreement concerns an area "also recognized by the UN as a Turkish continental shelf" . According to Turkey "there is no maritime border between Greece and Egypt".
In summary, apart from the territorial waters, which Turkey could carry to 12 miles, there are strong disagreements on the exclusive economic zones (EEZs), such as the one mentioned between Turkey and Libya, but also the agreements of the Cypriot EEZ with Lebanon, Egypt and Israel which are not accepted by Turkey and also involve continental shelves, which can extend up to 200 miles.
A new grain that does not seem to be limited to political skirmishes. At stake are huge reserves of gas and oil in the waters off Cyprus, which see the Cypriot government, Greece, Israel and Egypt in synergy to exploit those resources that would then be directed to Europe via a 1.200-mile pipeline. in the Mediterranean. This is not to the liking of Turkey which has its own aims.
After the signing of the agreement with Greece-Egypt on the delimitation of sea areas, Ankara has restarted seismic exploration in the disputed areas, sending a research vessel on 10 August Fasting Reis (opening photo) under the protection of five Turkish navy ships in the waters off the Greek island of Kastellorizo.
A provocation to which Athens responded by sending the frigate Limnos (photo) which seems to have attempted a dissuasive approach to the Fasting Reis. According to the Hellenic media, at this point the TCG Kemal Reys approached by ramming the HS Limnos. The dynamics were not confirmed by the respective navies. It is difficult to quantify the damage for both parties, but it is clear that an incident of this magnitude can have important repercussions in relations between Athens and Ankara in one of the darkest moments in relations between the two countries.
For now, no official confirmations have arrived from the Turkish or Greek navy that minimize the event. But some signs suggest that something in the Aegean really happened. Some photos started to circulate on social networks would show damage on the bow of the HS Limnos, according to some forced to return to port. Others, on the Greek side, instead believe the opposite, namely that the Turkish boat is the one with the greatest damage.
During a conference of his party, Justice and Development, Turkish President Erdogan spoke of an alleged attack by the Greek fleet on the ship. Fasting Reis, sent for exploration of the seabed near Kastellorizo (Castelrosso). Erdogan, addressing the assembly said that the message to Greece was very clear: "We told them, don't you dare attack ours Fasting Reis. You will pay a heavy price if you attack us. And they got their first answer today". A phrase that would indicate a confirmation of the clash in the waters of the eastern Mediterranean. Confirmations of the event also arrive from the Greek side. According to the Ekathimerini portal, the incident between the Limnos , Kemal Reys will be addressed by Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias in the Extraordinary Council for Foreign Affairs of the European Union to be held on 14 August after the urgent convocation by High Commissioner Josep Borrell. For now there are no sanctions against Turkey but the Greek media seem determined to want to inform the European partners of "operational incidents" complete with photographic material of those waters where a bilateral exercise is underway between the French and Greek navies .
Another Paris step in the area
And the French enter the game. A joint naval exercise with the Greek navy is underway in the Aegean. It represents a strong political signal, as underlined by Emmanuel Macron himself, in fact affirming the need to support Athens in respecting international treaties. Because? Don't be surprised. This is the continuation of the Paris policy of wanting to position itself as a balance in the eastern Mediterranean, where France, starting from Libya, has strong economic interests in the energy field. The dispatch of French units is therefore a signal to be taken into account considering that Macron has concluded an agreement with Cyprus for the use of its naval base. The Cypriot Defense Minister Savvas Angelides and the French Minister Florence Parly have in fact reached an agreement to allow the French Navy to use the naval base of Mari, on the southern coast of the island.
The problem is that Turkey is also a NATO ally, once the most loyal of the United States. Washington can only observe with concern the development of the situation in the Mediterranean. Even NATO has not yet issued any press statements but the tension in the corridors of Brussels must be palpable. A thorn in the heart of the Alliance that cannot afford to lose Turkey but not even to open a deep wound within it.
Andrea Mucedola (www.ocean4future.org)
Photo: web / Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri / presidency of the republic of Turkey / US Navy / Marine Nationale
