The right of defence is again invoked by Turkey to support and justify its illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean. In recent days there has been a strong effort by the Turkish government to attribute to the "regional blockade" all its illegal actions in the sea of our region. The Turkish-Cypriot memorandum on energy, drilling outside the Turkish reef, provocations in EEZs and violations in the Aegean.
By putting forward the argument of the blockade, Ankara claims that it is... forced to go its own way. To take its own steps in the energy sector, since - as the country's officials say - it has been cut off from the cooperation of the other powers in the region. Hence the spasmodic moves we have been witnessing in recent years.
The fact that this thinking is coming to the surface is a clear indication of the pressure the Turkish side is feeling[/B] at a time when the energy needs in Europe are extremely high and there is a strong movement at regional level to speed up the processes of exploiting the natural wealth of our neighbouring countries through cooperation.[/B]
The fact that this thinking is coming to the surface is a clear indication of the pressure the Turkish side is feeling. At a time when the energy needs in Europe are extremely high and there is a strong movement at regional level to speed up the processes of exploiting the natural wealth of our neighbouring countries through cooperation. Faced with this opportunity, Turkey obviously realises that the path it has taken in previous years leads to a dead end.
This explains the anxious diplomatic opening recently made by Turkey to Egypt for the restoration of bilateral relations. As well as the similar effort to re-engage with Israel, which is going down the drain. In any case, on a theoretical level, Ankara regularly declares its readiness to cooperate with all states in the region, except the Republic of Cyprus.
Turkey's isolation stems solely from its own policies. Since the first trilateral with Egypt in 2014, it was stressed that alliances of this type are not directed against any country and that all neighbours are conditionally welcome to participate. It is on these conditions that Ankara is stuck, which is not willing to respect international law and the sovereign rights of other states.
Despite invitations for dialogue or recourse to an international court, the Turks refuse to sit at the same table with a representative of the Republic of Cyprus, so as not to be criticised by the opposition for recognising it. A pure complex, which is further illuminated after an agreement was reached to define the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon. One does not recognise the other, but this did not stand in the way of reaching a win-win agreement.
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