Tehran(Bazaar): France has acted in Libya, Syria and the East Mediterranean Gas Forum as it behaved in Nagorno-Karabakh issue which was in contrast with Turkey, Kadir Ertac Celik tells Bazaar in an exclusive interview.
Noting the France-Turkey dispute, he also says that due to this matter that Turkey has realized the French game, it will not join the Mediterranean Gas Forum process.
Kadir Ertac Celik is a security adviser at Ankara-based think tank ANKASAM (Ankara Crisis and Political Research Center).
The following is the text of the interview:
Bazaar: Greece is seeking a more serious EU accession to the Eastern Mediterranean. Do you think this union will have a serious presence in this regard? Is it possible for Turkey and Egypt to reach an agreement on maritime borders? Does that mean that Egypt will lean towards Turkey from the axis of Greece, Southern Cyprus and Israel?
Celik:There is a bigger game behind these initiatives of Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean. The name of this game is "Global leadership challenge". This struggle is conducted through proxy wars. Greece is used as a proxy actor by the West in this struggle, because there is a threat from Russia on the one side and China on the other side.
Russia has become a powerful actor in the Mediterranean, making significant gains in Syria, especially in Tartus and Hmeymim bases. On the other hand, China, initiated the "One Belt_One Road" Project, the project of the century. So, Eastern Mediterranean is an important area in this project.
Turkey is in a position of equilibrium is decisive in this context. So the block in which Turkey is a party will obtain a very serious global power struggle. Therefore, both set to be undermined as Turkey tries to retreat to the presence in the Mediterranean, Russia and China.
But even if Egypt wants to be closer to Turkey, is due to the location and strength in regional geopolitics of Turkey. And contacts between the two countries have started at the lower level. Relationships are likely to soften after a while, but gradually.
Bazaar:Turkey has not signed the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982). Can it legally rely on the rights of this convention in bilateral agreements?
Celik:Turkey is not a party to the UN Convention on Law of the Sea. However, although it is not the relevant matter of Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean side, it has acted in accordance with this Convention. Because principles such as fair and equitable sharing in the contract are general law principles.
Thus, Turkey is acting in accordance with the general principles of law rules and commandments. It should also be noted that this contract can not use that Greece against Turkey. Because states do not have to abide by the provisions of agreements.
Bazaar:The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum is a bloc opposed to Turkey. France, meanwhile, had invited Turkey to attend the summit at a recent meeting, but Ankara refused. Do you think Turkey will join this forum?
Celik: France has been become a state which has also caused a crisis to be crated within the West in recent years. Because it wants to attract the Eastern Mediterranean into its sphere of influence and to be Europe's most powerful country.
It even acts against the interests of NATO and the EU. Therefore, in Libya, Syria and the East Mediterranean Gas Forum, this country acted as the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in Turkey contrast.
Turkey aims to France at the invitation of the game. But Turkey has realized that. Therefore, Turkey will not be included and entered in this process.
Bazaar: Israel and Lebanon are drawing their maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean. How much will this affect the developments in the Mediterranean?
Celik: Israel is a very important actor in both the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Israeli policies have always been supported by the West, especially the US. In addition, Russia has never been against Israel. Therefore, the steps taken by Israel are important. However, Israel alone does not have the power to change the geopolitics of the region. Without US and international support, Israel becomes an ordinary actor. But whatever happens, it should be seen as an important move in chess in the Mediterranean.
Interview by Tahmineh Ghamkhar
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