Egypt is inching closer to concluding an agreement with Turkey that would lay out the limits of their borders at sea, a senior Turkish lawmaker told pro-government daily Yeni Safak on Sunday.
In an interview, Justice and Development Party (AKP) member Ismail Emrah Karayel, the co-chair of the Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee, said that an agreement was close and that Turkey’s European rivals would be left in the cold. He added that its finalisation would leave “no means for the European Union (EU) to reach the eastern Mediterranean Sea.”
“Should the Turkey-Egypt demarcation agreement be signed, the EU will find itself outside of the equation. Egypt is edging close toward signing. God willing, it sees the light of day,” said Karayel.
For years now, Turkey has been locked in a dispute with EU members Greece and Cyprus over competing claims at sea in a region believed to be rich in natural gas deposits. Ankara has dispatched naval vessels and seismic survey ships to the area, resulting in EU sanctions against Turkish energy executives and a deterioration in wider relations.
Egypt and Greece inked their own maritime deal last year that angered Turkey. Cairo insists it was keen to mind Turkish sensitivities, but their relationship has been strained since the Egyptian military-led coup against President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.
Karayel said that the Greece-Egypt deal placed Greek maritime claims on Egyptian waters and a deal with Turkey would return the area entirely to Egypt. He added that if “Cairo has the good sense to approach things reasonably, it will see realize that such a deal is crucial for its own interests.”
Hydrocarbon exploration would be a part of any deal, according to Karayel. He expressed hope that it would soon be concluded.
Turkey has stepped up it’s outreach to Egypt in recent months. However, Egyptian officials have consistently rejected certain claims or statements from the Turkish side on how far along ties have improved.
Ahval