Turkey reignites East Med boundary dispute

A new deal heats up simmering clash over exploration rights

Eastern Mediterranean gas exploration is facing a new crisis after Turkey announced it will search for hydrocarbons in disputed waters off Libya. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the exploration in mid-October, following a controversial memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) earlier in the month. The MoU paves the way for Turkey’s state-owned TPAO to begin both seismic surveys and drilling in Libyan waters, including areas also claimed by Greece and Egypt. Days after the MoU was signed, Greek and Egyptian foreign ministers met in Cairo to issue a joint protest. “This agreement threatens stability and security in the Mediterran