US, EU allowing Turkish exploration in the Mediterranean

Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan is determined to interfere in Libya and back the so-called legitimate government of Fayez al-Sarraj against Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the Libyan National Army, to explore for gas and oil in the east Mediterranean, despite world criticism leveled at Ankara’s endeavors in this regard.

On October 5, Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said that an oil-and-gas drilling ship was sent to waters off southern Cyprus. However, the US warned Turkey of such illegal activities and nothing more.

Erdogan threatened to send back ISIS fighters to their home countries in Europe after the EU foreign ministers had announced November 11to impose sanctions on Ankara on the back of Turkish plans to excavate for gas off the Cyprus territorial waters.

Commenting on such actions, AykanErdemir, a researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said that the US only dealt with Turkey’s exploration in the east Mediterranean with diplomacy without imposing anysanctions.

The researcher told Sky News Arabia that Ankara understands well that Washington and the EU have no influence on Turkey regarding the east Mediterranean crisis.

Erdemir said the US relies on Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, which has threatened to shut it down if Washington imposed any sanctions against it. He added that the EU also relies on Ankara in dealing with the Syrian refugees. Erdogan has threatened to open its borders for them into Europe.

For his part, David Shinn a former US ambassador,told Public RadioInternational that Turkey is not seeking to reestablish the Ottoman Empire.