Source: The Institute for National Security Studies
Author(s): Gallia Lindenstrauss and Ofir Winter
Original Link: https://www.inss.org.il/publication/egypt-greece-agreement/
The maritime border demarcation agreement between Greece and Egypt signed on August 6, 2020 represents a direct counter-response to the maritime border demarcation agreement between Turkey and the Government of National Accord in Libya that was signed in November 2019. The Greece-Egypt agreement was described by leaders in Athens and Cairo as a new stage in their bilateral relations. Furthermore, it signifies an important step in solidifying an anti-Turkish axis in the Middle East, which is led by Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, and Israel, and supported by France and the United Arab Emirates. The struggle in the Eastern Mediterranean is over development and energy use rights and the competing desires of Egypt and Turkey to serve as regional energy hubs. This struggle also touches on the competition for political leadership in the Middle East and the tension between the pragmatic Arab states and the states supporting political Islam, led by Turkey and Qatar. Israel stands alongside Greece and Egypt, but has an interest in reducing overall tensions and maintaining stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, in order to realize economic cooperation with its neighbors and prevent the acceleration of regional arms races.
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