Erdoğan eyeing Libya's oil

Turkey has been craving Libya's oil since 2011. At the end of 2011, it hammered out a series of deals for the exploration and refining of oil, giving it the chance to gain a foothold in Libya. Since then, Turkey's only goal in Libya is to control the Arab country's mineral wealth.

The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), which is made up of a bunch of Muslim Brotherhood operatives, is helping Recep Tayyip Erdoğan fulfill his ambitions in Libya. This is coming through deals the GNA signed with Turkey in November 2019 on maritime boundary demarcation and security cooperation.

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister

Fatih Donmez said following the signing of the maritime boundary delimitation deal with the GNA that a Turkish exploration ship would start drilling for oil and gas west of Cyprus.

Unending violations

Turkey has been drilling for minerals inside the economic zone of Cyprus since 2017. It has been using a drilling ship it bought in 2013 for this purpose.

In 2018, Turkey violated the international law when its navy obstructed a drilling ship of the Italian oil company, Eni, that was drilling for oil and gas in the Cypriot economic zone.

In October 2019, a Turkish drilling ship headed to the economic zone of Cyprus with support from three logistical ships. Four months later, the Turkish foreign minister said the ship would move from survey operations to actual drilling.

This move was met with massive international condemnation. The European Union asked Turkey to suspend its drilling operations in the Cypriot economic zone and respect Cypriot sovereignty. It warned Turkey that it would take appropriate actions against its moves.