Turkey continues its expansionist plans with the goal of implementing the “Blue Homeland” doctrine, exploiting the international environment in the Middle East region. In this context, the US shift in stance toward Syria’s new regime has given Turkey the opportunity to exert maximum influence in its effort to impose its terms on the broader region.
Professor and President of the International Crisis Research Center Ismail Sahin of Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University recently wrote in an article: “The Blue Homeland doctrine brought a new strategic vision to Turkey centered on the sea. According to this, Turkey’s understanding of security has expanded from being limited to land borders to include maritime jurisdiction areas beyond territorial waters.”
In this context, no one should have been surprised by the statements of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, revealed yesterday by Nordic Monitor, about ongoing secret negotiations between Turkey and Syria for the delimitation of maritime zones in the Eastern Mediterranean aimed at securing the interests of both Turkey and the pseudo-state of “Northern” Cyprus.
Potential reactions from Greece and Cyprus to a possible Turkey-Syria memorandum, according to Kostas Yfantis
Parapolitika.gr reached out to Professor of International Relations Kostas Yfantis, seeking his assessment of the consequences of Turkey’s new move. Mr. Yfantis clarifies that in principle Turkey and Syria can make delimitation (unlike the Turkish-Libyan memorandum), as the two countries share common borders, but explains that “this will create a problem to the extent that such delimitation violates the rights of the Republic of Cyprus. So there are two issues. The first is this: if Turkey, which obviously does not recognize the jurisdiction of the Republic of Cyprus (and does not recognize and disputes, one could say, its right to delimit without the consent of Turkish Cypriots), then in this case it is quite likely, if not certain, that it will seek a delimitation that ignores the Republic of Cyprus. And this will be a very big problem for the Republic of Cyprus. However, this does not mean that Cyprus has no possibilities for reaction and pressure.”
We asked the International Relations professor what these reaction possibilities might be. “Our reaction must be primarily diplomatic and preventive. That is, we can say that if Syria, to put it as bluntly as possible, ignores the Republic of Cyprus in this case, Cyprus should immediately extend an invitation to Syria to begin delimitation procedures, while indirectly but clearly threatening to block any financial instruments that the European Union may be preparing for Syria’s reconstruction. Greece can also exert pressure through the EU and demand the application of the Law of the Sea.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in response to a question from a member of his party regarding a possible maritime zones agreement between Turkey and Syria, argued that his country’s concern is to protect the rights of Turkish Cypriots and rejected claims that he committed to EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Kaja Kallas that he would not sign a memorandum with Syria, in their meeting in Riyadh at the beginning of the year.
