Egypt and Greece sign maritime deal on exclusive economic zones

Egypt and Greece on Thursday signed a maritime demarcation agreement defining their respective exclusive economic zones, a significant step to realising their ambition with Cyprus and Israel to exploit natural gas reserves in the east Mediterranean and further isolate Turkey.

The agreement, announced in Cairo after talks between the Egyptian and Greek foreign ministers that concluded years of negotiations, at a time when Ankara’s ambitions are to muscle in on gas reserves in the area.

The agreement came after Egypt on Sunday protested strongly over a seismic survey carried out by Turkey, saying the work breached its exclusive economic zone. Relations between the two nations are fraught with tension, with Cairo regularly accusing Ankara of supporting militant groups in the region. They also support rival sides in the conflict in Libya. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the agreement reflected the “political will” of the two nations to bolster their relations.

“The agreement allows the two nations to exploit their marine wealth in view of the large oil and natural gas reserves” in the east Mediterranean, he said. Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias praised the agreement as the opposite of the maritime demarcation deal between Turkey and the Libyan government in Tripoli, which his country and Egypt consider illegal. Mr Dendias said the agreement would contribute to stability in the region and usher in a new phase in their relations. The Tripoli-Ankara agreement, he said, was void and worthless.

Ankara’s maritime agreement with the Tripoli government significantly expanded Turkey’s continental shelf. This infringed on Egypt’s ambitious plans with Cyprus, Greece and Israel to turn the region into a global energy centre after the discovery of natural gas there in huge quantities.

Turkey is unhappy that it was left out of these plans and has been trying to force itself into the scheme. It explored for gas off Cyprus, of which Turkey has occupied a third since 1974 when it invaded after a shortlived, Greek-inspired coup. The EU imposed sanctions on Turkey for drilling for gas in the waters off Cyprus, which is a member of the bloc.

Tension between Greece and Turkey have risen in recent weeks. It flared last month over the two Nato members’ border dispute in the east Mediterranean and the Aegean seas after Ankara announced plans to send a research vessel south of the Greek islands of Rhodes, Karpathos and Kastellorizo.