company 46 which escalated the situation in the Aegean . To prevent possible Turkish-Greek confrontation , the “ Davos Declaration ” was reached between Turkey and Greece in the Economic Conference in Davos in 1988 47 . However , the “ Davos spirit ” and the negotiations between the two countries did not last long . This drilling was the first of the conflicts that emerged between Turkey and Greece concerning the disputed territorial waters . However , only in the past decade did the search for hydrocarbons became a cause of crisis and began shaping the political situation in the Eastern Mediterranean .
The hydrocarbon discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean created a solid ground for energy cooperation among several East Mediterranean countries . One of the results of this cooperation is the East Mediterranean pipeline project which intends to connect the gas reserves of Israel to Greece via Cyprus 48 and from there provide natural gas through Italy to Europe . On January 2 , 2020 , Israel , Cyprus , and Greece signed the final agreement on the pipeline 49 . This possible project brings about several problems for Turkey . First of all , the project bypasses Turkey which was hoping to become a part of the bigger project of delivering natural gas from the Eastern Mediterranean to Europe 50 . If this project realizes it will decrease the significance of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline to some extent which is an alternative for the natural gas imported from Russia . Moreover , if Turkey became a part of the EastMed pipeline project , it would become a substantial energy hub and a corridor Europe 51 , thus , having more bargaining power against the EU .
46
Hale W ., Turkish Foreign Policy 1774-2000 , ( 2002 ), https :// books . google . am / books ? - hl = en & lr =& id =_ xLgtpBsovwC & oi = fnd & pg = PP8 & ots = DYIIRT1i8f & sig = uECoGv6fmbig ZPusFRTv4NsdhAQ & redir _ esc = y # v = onepage & q & f = false
47
Background Note on Aegean Dispute . ( n . d .). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey . last modified March 28 , 2021 , http :// www . mfa . gov . tr / background-note-onaegean-dispute . en . mfa
48
Dalay , G . Turkey , Europe , and the Eastern Mediterranean : Charting a Way Out of the Current Deadlock . Brookings . last modified January 28 , 2021 https :// www . brookings . edu / - research / turkey-europe-and-the-eastern-mediterranean-charting-a-way-out-of-the-currentdeadlock /
49
Koutantou A ., ( 2020 , January 2 ). Greece , Israel , Cyprus Sign EastMed Gas Pipeline Deal , Reuters . https :// www . reuters . com / article / us-greece-cyprus-israel-pipeline-idUSKB- N1Z10R5
50 ibid
51
Dalay G ., Turkey , Europe , and the Eastern Mediterranean : Charting a Way Out of the Current Deadlock , ( Brookings , 2021 , January 28 ). https :// www . brookings . edu / research / - turkey-europe-and-the-eastern-mediterranean-charting-a-way-out-of-the-current-deadlock /
58