East Med countries rally against Turkey-Libya accord
Regional diplomacy is intensifying to counteract Turkish energy moves with Egypt hosting a four-country summit also involving Greece, Cyprus and France next month.
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias announced the convening of a quadripartite summit between Cyprus, Egypt, Greece and France, which is expected to be held on 4 or 5 January, in Cairo.
The summit will take place days after Greece, Cyprus and Israel sign the interstate agreement on building the EUR 7 bln EastMed gas pipeline in Athens on 2 January.
Dendias said the EastMed pipeline represents an alternative energy route, which will ensure Europe’s energy self-sufficiency. He said Italy will soon add its signature to the agreement.
On Turkey’s stance towards the project, the Greek Foreign said the ambitious EastMed pipeline is not a reaction to Turkish activity in the region, despite “Turkey’s inclination to interpret all actions that way – an inclination which stems from its inner insecurity”.
Diplomatic activity will also see France’s deeper involvement in the Eastern Mediterranean region, with Paris’ participation in the trilateral 3+1 meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo.
France will be the +1 as the US was in the trilateral meetings between Greece, Cyprus and Israel.
French President Emmanuel Macron, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades have a common stance in promoting a more active European Union foreign policy and common defence in the region.
At present, there is no wider European framework that Athens can call on, which is why France appears willing to cooperate with Greece. It remains to be seen when and how
Italy will engage in the project for transporting natural gas to Western Europe.
Key to regional diplomacy is the anticipated meetings between Mitsotakis with US President Donald Trump in Washington and that of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
Turkey and the Tripoli-based government in Libya signing a maritime and security accord has prompted alliances in the region to swiftly gather for a common position and cooperation. Anastasiades will be in Athens to sign the intergovernmental agreement with Greece and Israel to build the 1,900 km EastMed gas pipeline.
The signing ceremony will take place in the Greek capital, in the presence of President Anastasiades, Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu and Greek Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
A deal will be finalised with the signing of the agreement by Italy at a later stage.
The pipeline will run across the Mediterranean from Israel’s Levantine Basin offshore gas reserves to the Greek island of Crete, the Greek mainland, and then to Italy.
In May, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte had expressed opposition to the
Poseidon project, which is the last section of the pipeline that would connect Greece with Italy.
Cyprus, Greece and Israel already signed an agreement on the pipeline earlier this year in the presence of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
The EastMed pipeline is expected to meet about 10% of the EU’s natural gas needs, decreasing energy dependence on Russia.
The EU has contributed to the cost of technical studies for the project.
The three signatory countries are opposed to Turkey’s recent deal with the UNrecognised Libyan government delineating “maritime borders” between them.
Share of the spoils
The deal is seen as Turkey’s way to pressure for a share in the maritime resources of the region, even if this means encroaching into other countries’ space.
Turkey says there can be energy moves in the region involving other countries without it being consulted first.
On a Cyprus stopover on Sunday, Dendias was asked if the EastMed deal was a response to Turkey’s deal with Libya.
“What we’re doing is not in reaction to anything,” he said.
“EastMed is a great boost for the energy stability of the EU. Our initiatives are not aimed against anyone; instead, they are positive steps and we invite everyone who agrees with them to join.”
Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, however, said there is a need to counter Turkey’s recent actions.
“We have common goals and approaches and I believe that the proper framework is being created to counter the actions of some who wish to create conditions of instability in the eastern Mediterranean by violating international law,” Christodoulides said.
Cyprus government spokesman Kyriacos Koushos said the primary goal is to defuse tension in the Eastern Mediterranean, which is one of the targets of the four-country summit of Foreign Ministers next month.
He told CNA the “3+1” meeting highlighted the “interest Paris displays for developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, nothing more and nothing less.”
He also said that the aim of the summit was not to enlist French assistance in case of an incident “to the contrary, it is about avoiding an incident from taking place.”
Koushos said the ministers will discuss “stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey’s expansionist and aggressive policy and the Turkish-Libyan memorandum”.
“It is Turkey that is provoking us, and we are taking various steps to help Turkey realise that it should abandon its gunboat diplomacy for dialogue,” said Koushos.
“The moves we are making are not aiming at isolating Turkey. They merely aim at preventing the signing of the MoU with Libya…the primary goal is to deescalate tension…this is also the position of Greece,” he added.