The drums of war: The exploration of Mediterranean Gas opens gates of hell on Erdogan

Mustafa Kamel

The illegal excavations that the Turkish state seeks and plans within the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus have become an issue that forces it to enter into a relentless war against Greece, after the latter announced by its Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, that his country is ready to enter the war because of violations of Ankara and the demarcation of the maritime border.

Turkey, led by Erdogan, provocatively ignores the repeated calls from the international community and the European Union to end its illegal activities in the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus.

It is another blatant violation of the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the Republic of Cyprus under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and related customs.

Flagrant violations

The Cypriot government announced that Turkey is now trying to conduct a new “illegal” exploration south of the economic zone “the continental shelf of Cyprus”, within the exploration area 8, which has been duly licensed to the European companies “ENI and Total”, describing that attempt as another flagrant violation of rights and jurisdiction of the Republic of Cyprus under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and related customs.

During a statement of condemnation issued by the Cyprus News Agency (CNNA) by the Cypriot government, it confirmed that the operations planned by Turkey in the Mediterranean are illegal, saying, “Turkey is carrying out illegal activities inside the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus, provocatively ignoring the repeated calls by the International community and European Union to end their illegal activities in the exclusive economic zone of Cyprus.

In late December 2019, Greece waved resorting to the International Court of Justice in The Hague if Athens and Ankara – then – could not resolve the dispute between them over the determination of sovereignty over the territories in the Mediterranean.

The Greek Prime Minister made it clear that Turkey and his country must discuss their differences on maritime areas in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean at the political and diplomatic levels, indicating that in the event Athens cannot reach a solution, “we must agree that the dispute recognized by Greece (over maritime areas) must be decided by an international body such as the International Court of Justice in The Hague”.