Is the Turkish position in the Mediterranean

Turkish regime

Used to be a parliamentary regime bu became a presidential regime

UNCLOS

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on 1982.

Turkey is not part of the UNCLOS but indirectly recognized the customary nature of it.

defines territorial waters up to 12 nautical miles (article 3 of UNCLOS) + EEZ : 200 nm (art 74) + Extended continental shelf up to 350 nm (art 83)

complex geography in East Mediterranean => difficult to implement such principles SO calls for an equitable solution

Blue Homeland

“Blue Homeland” is Turkey’s maritime doctrine that asserts broad Turkish rights and strategic influence over surrounding seas, especially the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.

2006 but promoted in 2016

Rejects the UNCLOS

post WW2

• duty of demilitarization

• Aegean Islands were given to Greece under the 1923 Lausanne Treaty + 1947 Paris Peace Treaty. On condition that it doesnt arm them

• If arm => threat of Turkey questioning its sovereignty

• But Greece consider it doesnt apply anymore bc Lausanne treaty has been replaced by Montreux treaty in 1936

Greece vs Turkey

they both exercise their sovereignty only as far as 6 nm. but Greece reserve its right to extend to 12 nm. considered by Turkey of a war declaration in 1995. Greece consider it would be a violation of article 2 UNC. In case of enclosed or semi-enclosed seas, the extension of maritime borders can only take place with the consent of the coastal neighbor

tensions over few small islands

remilitarization of the greek islands

September 2022

status of islands

art 121 bc they have an EEZ: area of land surrounded by water NOT rocks

turkey- Libya agreement

2020: potential shared maritime zone

greece-egypt agreements

2020

parted Cyprus

• Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (north)

• Republic of Cyprus

is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus a state ?

• art 2§4 UNC: no use of force

• Resolution 541,1983 : calls upon not to recognize any Cypriot state other than the Rep of Cyprus

Agreement over gas

Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum: Egypt, Greece, Israel, Jordan, Cyprus and Palestine, France, Italy

2018

Transformed into a regional org in 2020

Exclusion of Turkey: seen as an affront

enforcement to turkey

• Montego Bay Convention: considered as res inter alios acta : only binds the parties that have ratified it

according to Cyprus

has established the principal of the equidistance, confirming international doing and custom practice

this principle had been applied between Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon and Israel but Turkey reacted badly

according to Turkey

semi enclosed sea so principle of equity