Abdullah Bozkurt
Nordic Monitor, July 3, 2025
“… the proposed agreement is expected to further complicate Turkey’s relationships with third-party countries such as Cyprus, Israel and Lebanon — each with their own stakes in the Mediterranean’s contested waters and wary of any moves that might shift the balance of maritime claims.”
A letter signed by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirms for the first time that secret negotiations have been ongoing to delineate maritime boundaries between Turkey and Syria after the Assad regime was overthrown by Turkish-backed jihadist groups last year.
The letter, obtained by Nordic Monitor, reveals that multiple Turkish institutions have been instructed to draft an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) agreement with Syria. The aim is to safeguard the interests of both Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC), a breakaway state on the Mediterranean island recognized only by Ankara .
“With the overthrow of the Baath regime and the transfer of power to a transitional government, efforts are being carried out in coordination with our relevant institutions to determine the maritime boundary with Syria and to delimit maritime jurisdiction areas beyond territorial waters, in a way that protects our country’s rights and interests,” Fidan wrote in the letter, dated June 16 and addressed to the Speaker’s Office in the Turkish Parliament.
Fidan also emphasized that Turkey is committed to defending the rights and interests of the KKTC in any future maritime delimitation agreement with Damascus.. …SOURCE