The European Union and Turkey: Contestation of eastern mediterranean resources and clash over sovereignty rights

Official URL: https://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b2549552 _(Table of contents)

The Eastern Mediterranean has become the important focus for the states due to its newly found hydrocarbon reserves. At the beginning of discoveries, it was thought that these reserves could contribute to promoting peace in the region. However, these reserves increased the tensions among littoral states and heated old disputes such as the Cyprus issue. The drilling activities aim to discover potential hydrocarbon reserves in the region induced tension because of the uncertainty and ongoing disagreement regarding the maritime jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean. The European Union and Turkey are the main sides of the conflict that arose in the region since both sides seek to diversify their energy resources. This thesis claims that the hydrocarbon reserves and drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean have adverse effect on the EU-Turkey relations because of the Cyprus issue and contestation over the maritime zones in the region