The historic agreement between Turkey and Libya's internationally-recognized government that sets out the countries’ maritime boundaries has shifted the balance of power in the region, enraging Greece.
Speaking exclusively to Yeni Şafak daily, international relations expert Paunis Nikolas evaluated recent developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, responding to the question, "Does the Turkish-Libyan accord mark a shift in supremacy in favor of Turkey?"
"I can't say for sure that Turkey, after the agreement with Libya, has gained supremacy in the region. I can say, in a nutshell, that Turkey regained the initiative of diplomatic moves," Nikolas said.
He expressed citizens' concerns about a major conlict between the two countries, saying: "The worry is that Greece and Turkey are moving to point zero. That is, to a conflict. This is a matter of concern to the citizens of Greece. That bothers me."
The Greek expert reiterated his previous remarks about the conlict that cannot be resolved by excluding Turkey in the the Eastern Mediterranean energy plans.
Greece lodged objections to the United Nations over the accord between Libya and Turkey as a violation of international law, a Greek government spokesman said on Tuesday.
Greece expelled the Libyan ambassador in response to the deal last week, infuriated at a pact which skirts the Greek island of Crete and infringes, in Athens's view, its continental shelf.
Nikolas also noted that the endorsement of both the Turkish and Libyan parliaments creates concrete evidence of the legality of the agreement between the two countries.
He recommended an appeal to the International Court of Justice in the Hague to avoid a crisis and a "hot" incident.
Turkey on Thursday applied to the UN to register the pact signed with Libya that sets out the countries’ maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean.
According to Article 102 of the UN Charter: “Every treaty and every international agreement entered into by any Member of the United Nations ... shall as soon as possible be registered with the Secretariat and published by it."
The pact with Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) was signed on Nov. 27 and passed by Turkey's parliament on Dec. 5.
It carves out a slanting sea corridor of maritime boundaries at the closest points between Libya and Turkey, potentially clearing the way for oil and gas search there.
It went into effect as of Dec. 8 after the two countries published it in their respective official gazettes.
