In a speech delivered on this occasion, the Turkish President announced that “the exploration of natural gas conducted by us in the Black Sea, was the first fruit of our continued efforts. Turkey will make effort for stability in regions covering Aegean Sea, East Mediterranean and the Black Sea. We intend to explore natural gas from ten wells in the Black Sea as of 2023 and put it at the disposal of our citizens. The explorations that we made in the Mediterranean Sea were within the framework of our sovereignty, therefore, we do not need authorization from any party. The exploration vessel is a symbol of the new Turkish approach in energy field”.
Explorations of natural gas in the East Mediterranean during the last decade has turned the region into an alternative source of energy for Europe. In the meantime, the disputes over the rights of (ownership over) resources between neighbors in the region have also become more evident. Resumption of drillings are being made as tensions between Turkey and Greece have exacerbated; Erdogan has accused Athens to station arms and weapons in islands of Aegean Sea where they enjoy non – military status. Athens rejected the accusations.
Having regarded Turkish explorations in Black Sea region, Erdogan has sharpened his attacks against those who accuse him of adventurism and waste of financial resources. He accuses Athens of not willing to sort out the disputes between the two countries. The destination of drilling platform of Turkey is still unknown, but in near future it will be specified the extent of rising tension in East Mediterranean that “Erdogan” wishes to fan. Likewise, the extent of NATO as well as the West restrictions he wishes to test.
The remarks made by the Turkish Minister of Defense shortly before the floated drilling platform leaves Turkey to resume its drilling activity in the Mediterranean Sea is considered to be very threatening. In a sarcastic measure, once again he made the barrage of verbal attacks on non – residential “Kastellorizo” Island in Greece. Earlier, he had also said any probable measure against Greece will be “self – defense”, and if Greece will not abide by, pre-emptive measure will be taken. He had reiterated Ankara’s demand on non – militarization of the disputed islands in East Aegean Sea and added that whether this will not make the self – defense right? Or whether stationing weapons is not a threat against our country?
The Greek side has reviewed the following scenarios about the activity area of “Abdolhamid Khan” vessel:
1- The area could be located between Cyprus and Turkey at Sim hemisphere point
2- The area in South of Karpas Gulf located in the North of Cyprus
3- The area in South East of Cyprus
Greece claims any activity in the three above areas are assessed as the infringement of the sovereignty of Cyprus republic and its sovereign rights. There is also a fourth scenario that the drilling vessel may be stationed in a region where the exploration ship called “Orouj Raeis” was active in summer 2020 around Kastellorizo, Karpalthous, Rordoos, and Crete islands, which is considered to be the worst scenario for Greek side that may escalate tension between the two countries.
Activity area of the said vessel is due to be announced by Turkish President. Having referred to the authorization issued by the government of Turkish Cypriots, spokesperson of the Turkish President believes that Turkish activity is entirely legal, and Ankara will not pay any attention to the unfounded legal claims of the Greek side as well as Greek Cypriots. He rejected the claims about disputed areas and linked it to the “maximum demands” of Greece. From Ankara’s point of view, there is no disputed region, and it is Greece that violates the international laws as well as Lausanne and Paris Treaties.
Turkish authorities have sharpened their (verbal) attacks against Athens after the vessel resumed its job. Turkey claims that the remarks made by the Greek Prime Minister as saying Turkey is “reviving its revisionist imaginations of neo-Ottoman”, is a claim to cover illegal policies of Greece. It is them who threat the peace and stability of the region by their maximum demands in East Mediterranean. He believes that an island with an area of 10 square kilometers which is 2 kilometers away from Anatolia and 580 kilometers away from Greece mainland, has a continental shelf of 40000 square kilometers. The claim that Kastellorizo Island has a maritime vicinity of 4000 times larger than its own area is against the international law. Greece that was unable to repay its debts to lenders until recently, has increased its military budget five times and showed the whole world that it does not have peaceful objectives, and pursues its aggressive policies in the East Mediterranean.
The beginning of activity of the fourth drilling vessel of Turkey and dispatching it to the Mediterranean was completely predictable for conservative government of Athens. In the last spring, there was an assessment in Athens’ public sector circles that the activity of the fourth drilling vessel of Türkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortaklığı (TPAO) (Turkish Petroleum Corporation) would start after July 15, 2022 and fixing the exact date depended on sorting out of some technical issues. In this case, it seems that Turkey is looking for a smaller vessel to accompany (escort) the main drilling vessel, while it also faces problems to find specialist technical staff like the previous cases in the past.
The question is about the area in which the vessel will sail. On the basis of optimistic scenario, “Abdolhamid Khan” will be dispatched to the Southern waters of Turkey in the vicinity of recognized continental shelf of the country. Greek sources consider the scenario of stationing the drilling vessel at the northern half of Block 6 of exclusive economic zone of Cyprus as very strong. The southern part of Block 6 is being drilled by a consortium consisting of ENI/TOTAL. The third and the worst case scenario will be “Abdolhamid Khan” to be sent to the East Mediterranean and Aegean seas where the research ship of “Orouj Raeis” was active in summer 2020, to start drilling in areas where natural gas field is expected to exist.