Streit um Energiequellen und Einflusssphären im östlichen Mittelmeer – Völkerrecht und Geopolitik.
Dispute over Energy Sources and Spheres of Influence in the Eastern Mediterranean – International Law and Geopolitics

Summary/Abstract: Conflicts in the Eastern Mediterranean have a long history. Back in the 1950s and 1970s Greece and Turkey were at odds regarding the delimitation of maritime zones. These conflicts appear to have been forgotten. They were only taken note of again when Turkey and Libya agreed on the division of maritime zones in 2019. Greece and Turkey saw their rights violated. Conflicts in the Eastern Mediterranean concern energy resources (primarily natural gas). As we are faced with severe conflicts in this region, the irony of the whole situation could be that such energy may prove to be a source of no value, as natural gas may not be competitive in comparison with other suppliers. The European Union has shown an interest in gas resources of the Eastern Mediterranean, but it has obliged itself to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and problems of gas transport are assessed to be tremendous. Quite a few studies on the conflicts in the region were published recently. However, two aspects need in-depth analysis: the principles of the international law of the sea and geopolitical considerations. Developments in the Eastern Mediterranean should not be perceived in isolation but must be classified in the global context.

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