The Eastern Medıterranean Energy Resources and Redetermınatıon of Regıonal Balances: Turkıye's Posıtıon

Abstract

The Eastern Mediterranean energy resources are incredibly significant for the states in the region as these reserves are vital to ensure their energy security and promote economic development. Geographically bordering the region, Turkiye, Israel, Egypt, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus (GCA), Greece, Lebanon, Syria and Libya follow active policies in the Eastern Mediterranean. On the other hand, countries such as the USA, Russia, England, France and Italy try to take their position in the energy equation in the Eastern Mediterranean, although they do not have a border with the region. In this context, the world's largest energy companies focused on the region and compete with each other for a share in the energy exploration and pipeline projects there. In the Eastern Mediterranean region, which can be compared to a multivariate equation, many problems, crises and cooperation opportunities coexist due to the geopolitics of it. Europe’s intensifying energy crisis followed by the Russian-Ukrainian war added a new dimension to the current situation in the region. It seems that the energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean will redetermine the balance of power in the regions. Using literature review as a research methodology, the aim of this paper is to analyze Turkiye’s position in the process of redistribution of cards in the region. The data will be collected using various methods, including a review of the academic studies, public documents and statistics, interviews and official declarations of the authorities.

Received: 05 May 2022 / Accepted: 16 May 2023 / Published: 20 May 2023