Lebanese Minister: The Eastern Mediterranean is not a Turkish lake

[wvwvw]

The Eastern Mediterranean is not a Turkish lake, but a cradle of world civilisation
By Yacoub Riad Sarraf – MoD


Yacoub Riad Sarraf- يعقوب رياض الصراف

In recent days, Turkey has harked back to the challenges and the questioning of the sovereign rights of three neighbour states, Greece, Syria and the Republic of Cyprus.

In an abusive manner, which betrays the real intentions of its government to create outbreaks of tension throughout the region, Turkey has announced plans for a drilling survey in an area that does not belong to its Internationally Recognised EEZ. The announcement of investigations on the Eastern Mediterranean seabed is not an isolated Turkish initiative.

This is the latest episode of a tactic of repeated aggression that each time becomes a little more belligerent. The NAVTEX announcement and - above all - the exodus of the Turkish civilian fleet in order to further militarize the crisis with Greece is a conscious move to darken the atmosphere further, especially at a time when emotions are already running high due to the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

Turkey's aggression in the Eastern Mediterranean is not a new phenomenon, it is becoming increasingly difficult to contain. The international conjuncture, a completely distorted perception of the power relations in the region, are leading Turkey to trespass one border after another. From Libya to Syria, Turkey is a constant source of instability.

Its alleged stabilizing role is a cover, which hides the real aims of Turkey, the projection, that is, of this peculiar neo-Confessional Ottomanism, which is nothing more than a nationalist daze non related to reality with eventual cataclysmic repercussions. This expansionism is a violation of international law and a violation of the sovereign rights of the other countries in the region.

Turkey violates the rights of the Republic of Cyprus, threatens Greece, destabilizes Libya, but also Syria, and lately wants to play a role in the Caucasus. Turkey appeared uninvited in all these areas. No one has asked for its intervention in Syria or Libya, and certainly, no one feels safe when the Turkish fleet wants to control the Eastern Mediterranean as if it were a Turkish lake.

The Eastern Mediterranean is not and will never be a Turkish lake, simply because many countries have equal rights over it and it is the mother of civilisation, culture and friendship. There is only one-way to share in the Eastern Mediterranean, that of bona fide cooperation, dialogue and world recognised principles.

Moreover, there is not a single multilateral association or organization that welcomes the unrest that the Turkish stance in the Eastern Mediterranean has created in recent years. Unfortunately, the rhetorical condemnation of Turkish provocations by the EU, or countries such as Egypt, France, Germany or the US, is not perceived by Turkey, as it should be, but as a sign of tolerance, encouragement, or even worse, weakness.

Greece as a member of the EU is a critical factor of stability in the region, a bridge between the Middle East, North Africa, the Balkans and Europe and has nothing to fear from demonstrations of power and intimidation that are neither in line with the spirit of the times nor with the real balances. Anyone trying to turn the region into a field of war rivalries and imbalances is doomed to fail miserably.

Greece, Lebanon and Cyprus, in this difficult time, have the solidarity of every peaceful nation in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond, because it has with it the indisputable force of international law, but also the proven positive contribution to stability on all difficult fronts in the region. And this is something that no one should forget.

* Mr. Sarraf is former Minister of National Defense of Lebanon (2005 - 2008 and 2016 - 2019)

[kundur]

There is a Turkey-Italy-Qatar-Malta side in East Med, facing a Judeo-Greek Axis of Evil hiring Russian Wagner thugs, backed by Egyptian dictatorship under Al Sisi with the financing coming from UAE.
Afraid of Turkish influence, France also seems to lean toward the Judeo-Greek Axis.

Lebanon is another country under Israeli control which is nowadays facing a dire economic and monetary crisis, people are almost starving there. You see Israel organizing false flag operations with their Hezbollah buddies in Lebanon nowadays, that is a trick to calm down to folk and sustain the status quo. You know, anyone clashing with Israel gains legitimacy in the Arap world.

If the Judeo-Greek axis of evil prevails, migrants flow to Europe shall continue and the whole region shall continue breeding radical religious terrorist groups.
On the other hand, Turkey and Italy could stabilize Libya, block all migrant flows toward Europe, with Italian ENI exploiting oil and gas for the good of Libyan people, and Turkish military bases enforcing security.

[Peloponnesian pride]

No shit...But you see erdogan want to reestablish the ottoman empire.

[kundur]

No shit...But you see erdogan want to reestablish the ottoman empire.

It is more like Greeks, Jews and French trying to keep Africa poor and destabilized (thus more migrants for Europe) and steal gas and oil all around.

[Peloponnesian pride]

It is more like Greeks, Jews and French trying to keep Africa poor and destabilized (thus more migrants for Europe) and steal gas and oil all around.

You are turk and you speak about stealing gas and oil from around...

[Marmara]

The Eastern Mediterranean is not and will never be a Turkish lake, simply because many countries have equal rights over it and it is the mother of civilisation, culture and friendship. There is only one-way to share in the Eastern Mediterranean, that of bona fide cooperation, dialogue and world recognised principles.

Funny. Greece released an alleged Turkish EEZ, which gave Turkey no zones. Also Turkey was not invited to East Med forum. What were you expecting?

[catgeorge]

Animals dont deserve an EEZ.. we'll make sure of it.

[Dianatomia]

There is a Turkey-Italy-Qatar-Malta side in East Med,.

Not quite. Malta is an island with EEZ. Do you think they will side with Turkish unilateral claims of islands having no EEZ? Italy signed EEZ with Greece based on international law. Sometimes they are cooperating with Turkey concerning some of their interests in Lybia. You are imagining things. Qatar is helping Turkey for sure, but at the same time Qatar is cooperating with Cyprus in its EEZ.

Turkey is essentially alone on this one.

[kundur]

Not quite. Malta is an island with EEZ. Do you think they will side with Turkish unilateral claims of islands having no EEZ? Italy signed EEZ with Greece based on international law. Sometimes they are cooperating with Turkey concerning some of their interests in Lybia. You are imagining things. Qatar is helping Turkey for sure, but at the same time Qatar is cooperating with Cyprus in its EEZ.

Turkey is essentially alone on this one.

Who are Greece's ally?

1. Israel: Jews are believed to have broken their promise given to God. In that line of thought, how can a people ''betraying God'' shall keep to their commitment to Greeks?
2. French: Very opportunistic, selfish and snob people who would not care for Greeks, were they to see Greece being drowned.
3. Wahhabi dictatorships: UAE, and cronies. Very trustworthy people too!

Mating with Italians is better than with all 3 of those combined.

[Dianatomia]

Who are Greece's ally?

1. Israel: Jews are believed to have broken their promise given to God. In that line of thought, how can a people ''betraying God'' shall keep to their commitment to Greeks?
2. French: Very opportunistic, selfish and snob people who would not care for Greeks, were they to see Greece being drowned.
3. Wahhabi dictatorships: UAE, and cronies. Very trustworthy people too!

Mating with Italians is better than with all 3 of those combined.

My point is that all countries and institutions support Greece when it comes to its sovereign rights. The EU, US, Italy, Malta, Israel, Russia, Egypt, Tunisia, France even Germany. Some of these countries can be friendly to Turkey. But on the EEZ matter, Turkey essentially doesn't have any government backing them up. Not because Greece has fabulous diplomacy, but because international law should be safeguarded. This isn't an issue where countries can take sides. Rather, it is determined by universal laws. And also, before recently, Greece did not pro-actively oppose Turkey on other affairs. In fact, one can argue if Greece were Turkey's best neighbor over the last decades. But Greece is sucked into this anti-Turkish axis solely because it has to defend its sovereign rights against an aggressive Turkish government.