An Assesment of Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Boundary Delimitation Agreement Between Turkey and Libya (original) (raw)
Related papers
AN ASSESMENT OF THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN TURKEY-LIBYA MARITIME BOUNDARY DELIMITATION AGREEMENT, 2020
In recent years, the Eastern Mediterranean hydrocarbon discoveries is one of the hot topic. Related to it, maritime jurisdiction area disputes have occurred in the region. The most important one is the Turkey-TRNC and GCA’s dispute. Turkey, made an agreement with Libya on November, 2019 against ongoing conflict and unlawful activities. As a result of it, Turkey and Libya became coastal neighbors, and two littoral states. Agreement has strong impact on entire political and economic situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly, regional and global actors competition on energy resources. Agreement will definitely change proxy war balances which is conducted by global actors such as the USA, Russia and the European Union (EU). The ongoing civil war in Libya is the determinant and the passive of this agreement. Regional and global actors reacted very sharply to the agreement because of their interest and plans about region are deteriorated. In this study, the impact of the agreement on Eastern Mediterranean hydrocarbon activities, regional and global actors, Libyan Civil War, Eastmed Pipeline project and the Turkey-TRNC-GCA dispute are evaluated. Agreement’s legality is analyzed accompanying with Libya’s political situation and diplomatic relations with Turkey. Finally, Turkey’s important role and place in the Eastern Mediterranean is considered to explain the importance of the agreement.
PEACE & SECURITY-PAIX ET SÉCURITÉ INTERNATIONALES (EuroMediterranean Journal of International Law and International Relations), 2021
The complicated physical and political geography of the Eastern Mediterranean makes it a region in which conflicts between parties are always ready to escalate. In this context, the adoption of a Memorandum of Understanding between Turkey and the Libya’s Government of National Accord seem to add fuel to the fire. Apart from the impact on the energy geopolitics of the Eastern Mediterranean, this agreement has raised the concerns of the European Union which considers that it infringes upon the sovereign rights of Greece and cannot produce any legal consequences for an EU member State. LA DELIMITATION MARITIME ENTRE LA TURQUIE ET LE GOUVERNEMENT LIBYEN D’UNION NATIONAL: UNE AUTRE PREOCCUPATION POUR L’UNION EUROPÉENNE ? La géographie physique et politique compliquée de la Méditerranée orientale en fait une région où les conflits entre les parties sont toujours prêts à dégénérer. Dans ce contexte, l’adoption d’un mémorandum d’accord entre la Turquie et le gouvernement libyen d’union national semble mettre de l’huile sur le feu. Outre l’impact sur la géopolitique énergétique de la Méditerranée orientale, cet accord a suscité l’inquiétude de l’Union européenne qui considère qu’il porte atteinte aux droits souverains de la Grèce et ne saurait avoir de conséquences juridiques pour un Etat membre de l’UE. LA DELIMITACIÓN MARÍTIMA ENTRE TURQUÍA Y EL GOBIERNO DE ACUERDO NACIONAL DE LIBIA: ¿OTRA PREOCUPACIÓN PARA LA UNIÓN EUROPEA? La complicada geografía física y política del Mediterráneo Oriental lo convierte en una región en la que los conflictos entre las partes siempre están listos para escalar. En este contexto, la adopción de un Memorando de Entendimiento entre Turquía y el Gobierno de Acuerdo Nacional de Libia parece que añadir leña al fuego. Aparte del impacto en la geopolítica energética del Mediterráneo Oriental, este acuerdo preocupa a la Unión Europea, que considera que vulnera los derechos soberanos de Grecia y que no puede tener efecto jurídico alguno para un Estado miembro de la UE.
The Turkish Yearbook of International Relations, 2021
With the exploration of hydrocarbon reserves since the early 2000s, the Eastern Mediterranean has become the focus of attention of global and regional actors. Following the exploration of oil and gas resources, some littoral states signed maritime delimitation agreements. However, due to the fact that the region is geographically a narrow sea, the disputed maritime jurisdiction areas of the parties caused several political problems. One important aspect of the political disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean (Cyprus problem, Arab-Israeli conflict, etc) is related with the undecided maritime jurisdiction areas in the region. This dispute is between Greece, Turkey, Cyprus (North and South), Israel, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Lebanon and the UK in the Eastern Mediterranean. This problem has become more important with the offshore hydrocarbon explorations (oil and gas) carried out around Cyprus. In this context, this article will analyse the delimitation of the maritime areas in the region and the recent hydrocarbon exploration activities. It will mostly focus on the Turkish view about the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in the Eastern Mediterranean in terms of principles of international law of the sea.
2020
There are various conflicts between coastal states in the Mediterranean Sea. Some of these conflicts are already old, while others have arisen as a result of the process of expanding sovereignty over maritime space, due to overlapping jurisdictions and the setting of new borders. In the eastern Mediterranean, it seems that the majority of States respect the following jurisprudence; the delimitation agreements between Egypt and Cyprus, between Cyprus and Lebanon and between Israel and Cyprus, they all use the equidistance method. These states have also submitted notifications to the United Nations regarding their marine areas, which also use this method. These notifications do not assume a possible delimitation, but allow for the measurement of overlapping claims. Lebanon and Israel filed their notifications in October 2010 and July 2011, respectively. Both countries use the equidistance method, but do not calculate it in the same way; the Lebanese government thus officially proteste...
The Legal Aspects of the Eastern Mediterranean Crisis
Currently, the Eastern Mediterranean region is undergoing one of the most intense crises the region has ever witnessed. The main reason behind the current crisis is the increasing discoveries of significant oil and hydrocarbon fields in the East Mediterranean Basin since the 2000’s. Thus, the current maritime boundary disputes between the coastal states such as Turkey and Greece actually correspond to a crisis of distribution of the potential resources. In the current situation, the best way for a precise assessment of the Eastern Mediterranean crisis from an international law perspective is to examine two recently signed international agreements which embody the claims of the contesting parties: Turkey-Libya and Greece-Egypt maritime delimitation agreements. Therefore, in this expert brief, the most important features of both agreements and the contesting claims of the relevant parties are examined in detail in light of their reactions to those agreements. Finally, some previous maritime delimitation cases are analyzed in order to explore the possible approaches to be referred for an equitable solution of the Eastern Mediterranean crisis.
Reflections on the Sovereignty Dispute for Hydrocarbon Resources in the Eastern Mediterranean
2022
This study examines the sovereignty claims of the Greek Cypriot Administration (GCA-Republic of Cyprus), Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as littoral states in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea regarding the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the Continental Shelf (CS). Although the GCA (as namely Republic of Cyprus) is a signatory of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), it has signed bilateral agreements with Egypt, Israel, and Lebanon. However, the GCA has neglected the existence of the frozen conflict in the island and is therefore faced with the reactions-challenges of Turkey and the TRNC after its decision to give licenses to MNCs and start the drilling process. Turkey and the TRNC have claimed their own sovereignty rights in regard to the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf, which resulted in the agreements between TPAO (Turkish Energy Company) and the TRNC. Additionally, Turkey has started to conduct seismic surveys in the northern part of Cyprus and southern part of Turkey on the basis of the equal sharing principle. The lack of a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem is the basic source of the sovereignty dispute on the delimitation of EEZ and CS among Turkey, the TRNC and GCA, which is also reflected in the hydrocarbon surveys.
Border Issues in the Eastern Mediterranean: An assessment on Turkey
Yeditepe Üniversitesi, 2019
This study is prepared to analyze the approaches and policies of Turkey and riparian countries toward the issue of sharing resources in the Eastern Mediterranean and to offer suggestions for solving this issue. Drafted in consideration of international rules of law, this study elaborates on the interrelations between Turkey and its riparian countries and seeks an answer for the question "What are the factors that render the Eastern Mediterranean important?" In the study, the factors that render the Eastern Mediterranean region important are scrutinized within the scope of historical process. Focusing on energy assets and the issue of sharing resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, the study further explores terms of international maritime law and analyzes cooperation and relations among states. The steps to be taken by Turkey to solve problems in the region as well as challenges it will face are clearly expressed. In this regard, the study delves into the issue of border disputes in consideration of energy reserves found in the Eastern Mediterranean, which sets the boundaries of this study. Consequently, suggested solutions for problems of resource distribution and sharing in the region are substantially explored in the study.