Turkey stops drilling in eastern mediterranean seas
The latest efforts have sparked conflicts between Greece, the US and Erdogan.

When Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power at the beginning of the century, the principle that governed the country's foreign policy was called "zero problems with neighbors". She has received praise both domestically and abroad. Almost two decades onwards, and there is almost no conflict in the near abroad that the emerging regional power is not involved in. The bases of the conflict in Ankara were years in the making before any trigger sparked the current tensions. Turkey risked missing the energy salute in the eastern Mediterranean, which a "sea-grabber" maneuver should have prevented. Instead, it created a chain of conflict and an increasingly hostile environment for Turkish interests. In addition to the trigger, the reasons for the hostilities are historical and political. Greece's hostility stems from Turkey's imperial past and the illegal invasion of Cyprus that has divided the island to this day. Ankara's support for the Muslim Brotherhood and the opposition to President el-Sisi has sown the seeds of confrontation with Egypt. Furthermore, Turkey's continued denial of the Armenian genocide has sparked bitter relations with another neighbor. The discovery of large reserves of gas in the eastern Mediterranean is a promise of wealth that was not evenly distributed. The geological conditions have favored Egypt, Israel and, to a lesser extent, Cyprus. The aggressive and unilateral actions of Ankara have backfired, as the remaining riparian states appear increasingly united in their actions. Cyprus and Greece in particular are disadvantaged by Turkey's claims that they disregard international law and bring them into conflict with another NATO member and two EU states. The illegal maritime agreement that Ankara signed with the government in Tripoli, Libya, is the latest spread of Turkey's desire to win at the expense of others.





