Defendant Rear Admiral Assoc. Dr. Cihat YAYCI I SPECIAL INTERVIEW
How do you evaluate Turkey's power and presence in the seas from past to present?
Turkey is a maritime country. This should never be forgotten. It is said that the Turkish nation is not a maritime nation. On the contrary, the Turkish nation is a maritime nation. In other words, this is a situation that is tried to be stigmatized to us, arising from not knowing history. There are moments when the Turkish nation is away from the sea from time to time, and from time to time, when it is strong, it approaches the sea. Italians use the following expression for the Ottoman Empire. This expression is also found in calendars. They call it the "Empire That Smells The Sea." The era of Suleiman the Magnificent, when the Ottoman Empire was at its height. But there is a crucial point there. During the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, there was Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha. That is, "he who rules the water, rules the land." Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha said. Who is he saying this to? He tells Suleiman the Magnificent, the sultan. There is a Kanuni who made the Rhodes expedition, the Islands expedition.
However, it has to be said. The maritime adventure of the Turks dates back to BC. It dates back to 3000-4000 BC. Sakas, Scythians, Etruscans… Or the Great Seljuks are conquering Oman. To conquer Oman, you must have a navy. They form great navies, and the most important thing is this. I always show this as an example. You enter Anatolia in 1071. You enter with horses and on foot, and by conquering both on foot and with horses, you come to Çeşme in 1081, and you establish a navy in Çeşme in 1081. In 10 years, you start from Manzikert, come to Çeşme, build the navy, and release it into the sea. See the vision! The first thing he did was the conquest of Lesbos and Chios. Then the Sheep Islands victory in 1090. There may be those who do not know very well about this Sheep Islands naval victory. Çakabey is destroying the Byzantine navy. It is a significant subject. In 1090, the struggle for dominance in the Sea of Islands actually began in this way, and for 740 years, there has been Turkish domination in the Sea of Islands in one way or another. So in the Aegean Sea.
Unfortunately, we are very exposed and affected by the perception operation. Everyone has this on their mind. We did not take any islands in the Islands (Aegean) Sea from the Greeks. So there is such a perception. "These Islands belonged to the Greeks. The Turks took these islands from the Greeks and then reverted to their originality with the London Ambassadors conference, with Lausanne, with the Paris Peace Treaty. back to the Greeks." No such thing! We either bought it from the Knights of St. Jan or the Genoese or the Venetians. But we never took it from the Greeks on the floor. That's why the real owners of these islands are never Greeks.
As the Turks dominated the seas, their state grew, and their enemies, who saw that their dominance in the seas affected the growth of the Turkish states, first wanted to isolate the Turks from the seas. That's why they hit their navy. The raids of Inebahtı, Navarin, Çeşme, Sinop, and the naval losses there caused the Ottoman Empire to shrink. It naturally caused it to shrink. Because the mainstay of its growth is in the navy and the seas, from there, they start to shrink. In other words, it is not a situation in the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Realizing that the center of gravity of the Ottoman Empire was the navy and that there was growth in the sea, their enemies and enemies shot the Ottomans from there.
What is the Blue Homeland, what is this definition, and what is the scope of the Blue Homeland?
The concept we call Blue Homeland means Turkish Maritime Jurisdiction. In other words, it means the declared or foreseen Turkish Maritime Jurisdiction Areas. Where are they?
The Black Sea. In 1986, Turkey declared an Exclusive Economic Zone in the Black Sea. Therefore, there is no problem in the Black Sea part of the Blue Homeland in the Black Sea, the Turkish Maritime Jurisdiction Areas. Some say this. When we extract natural gas, oil, and resources there, will there be any problems? No. There will be no problem. It has been fully shared and confirmed by agreements with all riparian states. This is an area where Turkey shares equitably, an exclusive economic zone. It has another feature. A perception is created as if Turkey never announced the EEZ and never experienced it. However, Turkey declared an EEZ in 1986 and is a state that has experienced this as well. First, it announced, then it made agreements with the relevant states one by one for nine years.
Blue Homeland also means the Sea of Marmara. The Sea of Marmara is an inland sea of Turkey. Turkey has sovereignty rights in this region as in the land. Recently, there have been some lobbies trying to bring the Montreux Convention to the agenda. Turkey is a state loyal to the Montreux Convention. It contributes to peace and stability in the region with this agreement. If Turkey wishes, it applies an inland water regime in the Sea of Marmara. He passes what he wills, and what he hopes does not pass. Blue Homeland means sovereignty.
The situation is slightly different in the Islands (Aegean) Sea. Because here, maritime jurisdiction areas are not determined outside the territorial waters. For this reason, in international law, in the light of the decisions of the International Court of Justice and the Arbitration Court, it is necessary to share the line between the two mainlands according to the principle of proportionality. Just like between England and France. Off the coast of France are the British Isles. But the line is passed through the middle line. When we look at it according to the principle of proportionality, Greece has a coastal length of 2756 km. Turkey has a coastline of 3484 km. In other words, while it should have been 40% to 60%, we drew this border from half by sacrificing ourselves. Even if we draw half of it, the Greeks can't stand it. And the Greeks by no means envisage a Continental Shelf that will leave the sea beyond the islands, that is, only a stone's throw from Turkey, in a way that they cannot impose on anyone in the world. It is not possible to accept such a thing. Therefore, the part of the Blue Homeland that we drew in the Sea of Islands is entirely based on the midline, according to the example of England-France sharing (there are dozens of examples like this, but I am giving an example especially England-France so that the others do not say that it was like this.) How the sharing between two great states is done in the middle. So Blue Homeland means Sea of Islands. Blue Homeland means to count the fingers shaking hands with Greece. According to the UK-France sharing example (there are dozens of examples like this), I'm especially giving an example of England-France so that others don't say it was like this and that). So Blue Homeland means Sea of Islands. Blue Homeland means to count the fingers shaking hands with Greece. According to the example of England-France sharing (there are dozens of examples like this), I'm especially giving an example of England-France so that others don't say it was like this). So Blue Homeland means Sea of Islands. Blue Homeland means to count the fingers shaking hands with Greece.
It is evident that Turkey is the most crucial state in the Eastern Mediterranean with its 2280 km coastline and that Turkey has the longest coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean. In such a case, when you look at it according to the proportionality principle, it is 384 km of the Greek Cypriot Administration. Turkey is 2280 km. Turkey should have approximately seven times as many maritime jurisdictions as Greece. Our entire maritime jurisdiction in the Black Sea, Marmara, Islands, and Eastern Mediterranean is 462 thousand km2. In other words, it is a little more than half of our land area. They call us maximalist, Neo-Ottomanist. They call it expansionist. Just because we say that our maritime jurisdiction is a little more than half of our land area. Well, GKRY is 5700 km. Turkey's fractional land area. Thirty times it declares maritime jurisdiction, thirty times. And they're trying to make it count as legitimate. Greece tenfold. And they are not expansionist, Turkey is expansionist.
In the determination of the boundaries of maritime jurisdiction areas, the Blue Homeland was drawn within the framework of our rights and interests, but in a fair sharing understanding, under international law, under the principles of the decisions of the International Court of Justice and the International Court of Arbitration, with an approach close to minimalist, not maximalist, not optimal. There are even some people among us who do not even accept this and call it excessive. They are also under the influence of certain lobbies. When all these facts are revealed, it is apparent that we envisage a very reasonable maritime jurisdiction. Turkey's Blue Homeland is 462 thousand km2. Turkey is in favor of fair sharing within the framework of international law and equity. This policy is called the Blue Homeland policy, the Blue Homeland strategy. We defend Turkey's rights and interests in the seas,
How will a maritime agreement between Turkey and Palestine contribute to Turkey and Palestine, and how and in whose favor will such an agreement change the balance in the Eastern Mediterranean?
The symmetry of the Libyan agreement can also be made in Palestine; both Turkey and Palestine win. Although Palestine is a state, it is not treated as a state. This is wrong.
On the other hand, violence is taking place in Palestine. Gaza is under blockade. Even if there is no attack, it is challenging to live under a blockade. As a result, Israel also imposes a blockade at sea.
At this point, moves are needed to strengthen Palestine's international identity. If Palestine cannot grow from the land on land, it must rise from the land under the sea.
However, as we always say, our center is Turkey, and a solution should be produced that will also benefit our country. Any state, not even Egypt, has not put forward such an agreement with Palestine. But we have to put this forward and take our rights stemming from international law.
According to the International Law of the Sea Limitation Techniques and Maritime Jurisdiction Limitation Techniques, Turkey has reciprocal shores with Libya, Palestine, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. Palestine is Turkey's neighbor by sea.
Just as the visibility and influence of the Government of National Accord in Libya increased in the international arena after the agreement with Libya, the symmetry of the same agreement with Palestine will increase the visibility and influence of the Palestinian state. This agreement can also be made with Palestine, and as a result, Turkey gains a sea area of 10 thousand km2, and Palestine a sea area of 10 thousand km2.
The 10 thousand km2 sea area means the doubling of Palestine's territory and its double growth. At the same time, fishing can be done in this sea area, and Palestinians benefit from this fishing, and Palestinians gain from the natural gas/oil to be extracted from this sea area.
What will be the most critical parameters that will determine the future of Turkey's Eastern Mediterranean policy in the new period?
Turkey is the country with the longest coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean. And at the point we have reached today, it is evident that a Cyprus without Turks and an Eastern Mediterranean without Turkey are desired. However, the maritime area sharing in the Eastern Mediterranean, excluding Turkey, is not just and also against equity.
In 2019, Turkey made a maritime jurisdiction delimitation agreement with Libya, a very peaceful and legal maritime neighbor, voiding the trap set in the Eastern Mediterranean, and reminded of its existence in the Eastern Mediterranean with the Turkish sword, the westerners say. With this move of Turkey and Libya, the plans of Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus (GCA) have been ruined. Libya is Turkey's neighbor by sea, and the agreement complies with international law.
Just like Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria are also Turkey's neighbors by sea. Today, Turkey should sign an agreement with Palestine, even symmetrically in the Turkey-Libya Agreement, and determine its borders. Because, as Greece and GCA deceived the countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, they also deceived Israel and indirectly Palestine and usurped their sea areas. In this way, both the Turkish Sea Areas will be sealed with the second Turkish sword, and the strategy of the Greek Cypriot Administration and Greece will collapse once again. In addition, in this way, Palestine will not only gain the areas usurped by the Greek Cypriot Administration, but also update its Exclusive Economic Zone, which Israel has unfairly determined, After making an equitable sharing agreement with Turkey, in addition to the significant amount of sea areas it has gained, its diplomatic hand will be strengthened in the international arena. Palestine is a state. In order for a state to become a state, there is no requirement to be a member of the United Nations or to be recognized in International Law. It is enough to have a country, people, and government. Turkey's agreements with the TRNC are legitimate, and the agreement it will make with Palestine will also be legitimate. The fact that it has become a member of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum together with Israel is concrete proof that it has a coast on the Eastern Mediterranean and that it is a legitimate state. With this agreement, Palestine will gain more land on paper, legally and diplomatically than it has been able to win in the struggle it has been going through for years because the bottom of the sea is the homeland, just like the land.
In other words, Turkey's Eastern Mediterranean policy should and will say, "Palestine is Turkey's neighbor by sea," just as it says, "Libya is Turkey's neighbor by sea."
What kind of actions should Turkey take against Greece's hostile attitudes in the Islands (Aegean) Sea, which are against international law?
It is a clear violation of the Lausanne Treaty that Greek Foreign Minister Dendias used the term "Ecumenical" and also "Ecumenical Throne" 4 times in his visit message to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, and that the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that they were interested in the Patriarch's initiatives on sensitive issues. . It was already clear from his sassy statements that Dendias came to Ankara, not with the intention and desire to resolve the problems with Turkey, but to intimidate Turkey with "you either accept our positions or suffer the consequences," and that he often supports it with references to the EU. This was pretty obvious. If Greece constantly puts forward the EU in bilateral issues, it means that it does not address itself. Then it would be more appropriate for us to hold exploratory talks with the EU instead of Greece. Likewise, our Foreign Minister gave very appropriate answers despite these accusations. I would like to congratulate him again. His words flattered our national pride. I hope our concrete diplomatic stance will be like this. I hope everyone in Turkey has realized that Dendias' stance is contrary to peaceful diplomacy and is arrogant, that Greece has backed the EU and has adopted an authoritarian stance. This situation is where the word ends in diplomacy. Greece sits on the table to negotiate only the subjects it wants, that is, its demands. It clearly states that it will not discuss the arming and militarization of the islands with non-military status. They have clearly stated that they will not negotiate on islands, islets, and rocks whose sovereignty has not been transferred to Greece. These are examples. Only Greece said that it would sit at the table to negotiate the sharing of maritime jurisdiction areas in the Eastern Mediterranean. This means: He is demanding what is not his right, and he wants us to say how much of our right we can give to Greece. In these circumstances, if we sit down to negotiate with Greece, it means talking from the beginning about how much we will give to Greece. After shaking hands with Greece at this negotiating table, we will have to count our fingers.
We need to change our minds. In diplomacy, we have to get out of the castle and become a striker. We need to get out of a policy that takes shots all the time.
How to solve the problems in the Eastern Mediterranean?
In the struggle for the sharing of maritime jurisdiction areas in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey has always been on the side of equity. So I have stated it many times, and I repeat my statement. Turkey is in favor of fair sharing. The deal with Turkey wins. As in other regions, Turkey favors peace, stability, and equity in the Eastern Mediterranean. This should be especially emphasized.
We have reciprocal shores with Palestine and Israel. Our drawings are an internationally accepted method. Turkey has by far the longest coastline, fourteen times that of Greece and seven and a half times that of the Greek Cypriot Administration. But one-fourth of Greece left to Turkey, one-fifth of Greek Cypriot Administration. The reason for this is diplomatic, bureaucratic, and academic ignorance. It is impossible to accept such a thing.
According to the map commissioned by the European Union by the University of Sevilla, which ignores Turkey's rights, the area given to us is 41 thousand km2, the area we need is 189 thousand km2. In other words, they wanted to take 148 thousand km2 of the homeland from us. This map has been used and is being used by many institutions and organizations of the EU, especially the energy agency. Considering the points and points that the EU has criticized and objected to Turkey, it is understood that this map is politically based. The aim is to share the Eastern Mediterranean, known to have rich hydrocarbon deposits, excluding Turkey.
So how to win? You have to stand upright. Turkey has stood tall so far. Thanks to the public's perception and those who run the state, it has claimed its seas like never before in its history. They want to punish Turkey for protecting its seas and take a step back. Turkey should maintain this rightful stance.
As Bahçeşehir University Maritime and Global Strategies Center, in cooperation with Istanbul University, we will soon give the best answer to the Seville map that ignores Turkey's maritime rights and interests. With the Blue Homeland Book that we will publish, we will continue to defend Turkey's rights and interests academically and explain to the world all our righteousness, with a commitment to international law and fairness.
How does Turkey's discovery of gas in the Eastern Mediterranean affect the diplomatic processes?
The eastern Mediterranean is said to have the world's richest hydrocarbon deposits. Therefore, according to current calculations, the known reserve in the south of Crete is at a level to meet Turkey's 572-year needs. We are talking about gas hydrate deposits that will meet Turkey's natural gas needs for 572 years. Disrupting the game set up by Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration of the Greek Cypriot Administration within the framework of the EEZ agreement with Libya, Turkey has drawn a "Turkish Sword-Turkish Shield" to the West, as Westerners call it, and now aims to draw a Turkish Sword-Turkish Shield to the East within the scope of its next strategy. Just as Libya is Turkey's neighbor by sea, Palestine is Turkey's neighbor by sea. Turkey should continue its research activities for energy resources within the scope of EEZ. Carrying out seismic research and drilling studies is perhaps a much more valuable issue for this period than even carrying out military exercises in the seas. Therefore, for whatever reason, seismic research and drilling should not be compromised. In other words, if Oruç Reis is being held in the port because he is negotiating with Greece, it would be a big mistake because Turkey loses ground in this case. Therefore, he compromises his future. It cannot be recovered on behalf of daily accounts, and it should not cause century-old losses. It is as halal as its mother's white milk to Eastern Mediterranean Turkey. Diplomatically, Turkey has adopted the win-win principle. If Turkey and the Ministry of National Education declare it, everyone wins. Who loses? Greece and Greek Cypriot Administration lose. Because Turkey is on the side of justice, they lose because they are not on the side of fairness.
If Turkey makes an agreement with Gaza, would it be possible to reach an agreement with Israel?
Turkey has been and will continue to be the biggest Palestinian supporter in the international community since its establishment. Although Palestine is under blockade by Israel, it has an EEZ in the Eastern Mediterranean due to the Gaza Strip. In this context, Palestine will also benefit from a possible maritime jurisdiction delimitation agreement to be signed between Turkey and Israel.
Palestine is a member of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum along with Israel. This means: So Palestine is a state. It also has a coast on the Eastern Mediterranean and is a member of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum. For this reason, no one can legally object to us signing an agreement with Palestine, a state with a coast on the Eastern Mediterranean.
There will also be those who say, "Sir, Israel will object to this, Egypt will object...". The map we draw is a strategic move map. Just as the line we drew with Libya was drawn without touching the coordinates we entrusted to Egypt – and it was drawn that way when it was possible to touch it – the line we drew with Palestine neither falls within the current area of Egypt nor does it enter the current area of Israel.
In that respect, there is no question of Israel's objections as it does not enter their current area. However, there may still be voices of objection arising from the current Israeli policy.
This means: In fact, the agreement with Palestine encourages Israel and Egypt to make an agreement with Turkey. Because it offers them a proposal that will save them sea area and it will be a solution that everyone wins.
After a possible maritime jurisdiction area delimitation agreement with Israel, Turkey and Palestine will gain more than 10 thousand km2, and Israel will gain marine jurisdiction area close to 10 thousand km. An agreement with Israel will be in the interests of both Turkey and Palestine. Within this framework, the rights of Palestine will also be guaranteed.
Who will be the loser; Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus. Where does he lose? He loses the areas that he had previously illegally and cheated on. In other words, the usurped areas are recourse to their original owners through Turkey. That is its essence.
Our strategy is based on everyone's win within the framework of equity. No one objects to fairness, and no one wants to object. Who wants to compromise their rights? Who wants to cause age-old losses for the sake of daily gains? We have published in Hebrew academic works. Both under BAU DEGS and at Tel Aviv University. We said to Israel, "They have deceived you!" Then, after our efforts, Israel realized this situation, and they took back a part of license area 12 from the Greek Cypriot Administration. Compromise with Turkey always wins. We say this all the time. Turkey follows an equity-oriented strategy. Our principle is the win-win understanding.
How do you evaluate Turkey's recent processes with Egypt? What is Egypt's role in the region?
States are always utilitarian. Egypt must also consider its own interests. According to the agreement it will make with Turkey, Egypt lost 11,500 km2 of sea area. If it had made a deal with Turkey, Egypt would have taken a large sea area from the Island of Cyprus. This much area is now in Southern Cyprus. Likewise, Greece's maritime jurisdiction area delimitation agreement was causing Egypt to lose 15,000 km2 of area compared to the agreement it would make with Turkey. However, a serious bargain was made with the suggestions of Turkey, and Greece had to give up almost half of the sea area it claimed. As a result, Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration of Cyprus fraudulently usurped Egypt's maritime jurisdiction areas. Egypt also realizes this now. Egypt, He emphasized the second point in his agreement with Greece. He denied the claim that Meis Island was Greece's continental shelf.
States should be utilitarian, not ideological, not behaving in some form of ethnic nationalism. Egypt and Turkey are two friendly and brotherly states from history. They may be at odds with each other on some issues, but this should not mean that they waste their interests. Therefore, it is in the interests of both Turkey and Egypt to sign maritime jurisdiction delimitation agreements. Because this region has the richest resources in the world. These should be removed and brought into the economy as soon as possible.
I have serious concerns about the feasibility of the approach of everyone to come together, sit down and share in practice in the short and medium-term. Turkey's EEZ declaration only disturbs Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration. It does not bother Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, or Syria. Because we foresee more maritime areas for them, according to the agreements they have made with Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration. Our EEZ certainly does not enter its maritime jurisdiction. In such a situation, states consider their interests. Now the snow water has escaped into the ears. After that, everyone will come to Turkey. Let's be patient, but first, let's declare MEB. Let's show everyone how much sea area to gain.
As a result, Turkey and Egypt may sign a maritime jurisdiction delimitation agreement. In this preparation process and the agreements we will make, we should definitely not block our long-term interests. The eastern coordinate of the agreement with Libya should be the western coordinate of the agreement with Egypt. If there is a gap in between, our Libya Agreement will be shaky. As some academics say, an agreement to be made with Egypt from the East of 28 degrees east longitude will collapse Turkey's Libya Agreement with its own hand. And we would lose one-third of our currently envisioned maritime jurisdiction. This is a very dangerous situation, and it requires multidimensional and long-term thinking. These things should not be rushed. While trying to sign an agreement, it is necessary not to allow Turkey to lose 40,000 km2 of sea area.
