Politics

The Rivalry between the Pipeline-Projects Turkish-Stream and East-Med

...and it´s geopolitical Impacts


5th Istanbul Security Conference 2019 (Source: Hamit Phn)
Logo of a geopolitical Thinktank as a Symbol
(Source: Anonymous)
USPA NEWS - On 20th March 2019, in Tel Aviv, the cornerstone for an Engergy Triangle, managed by Israel, has become laid: The Israeli-claimed Leviatan-Sea-Gas-Field at the coast of Northern Israel, Lebanon and Southern Syria - should become connected with the help of a so called East-Med-Pipeline into Europe. These pipeline is panned to run from the Levantine Basin over Greek-Cyprus and Crete into Geece - to get connected there with the Poseidon- and the IGB-Pipeline. Over these both pipelines it should supply Israeli-claimed Sea-Gas from Greece into Italy. And Italy is defined to be the access to whole Europe for these Sea-Gas-Shipments.
At the signing-ceremony on 20th March 2019 in Israel´s Tel Aviv the US Secretray of State, Mike Pompeo, has participated. Because the Geopolitics of the USA judges Israel as the only save state into the Eastern Mediteranean Region - and favour it as a result of these judgement: In oder to avoid a dependance of Europe´s Industrial States upon Turkish, Russian or even Iranian Gas. In striktly obidiance to these US-american judgement, the European Eunion has announced these US-backed Israeli enterprise as a Project of common Interest. As a consequence of these stance, Turkey is to become kicked out of these game about Europe - as a market for it´s own Gas.

Facing the estimated resources of Sea-Gas within the basin of Turkish-claimed Sea-Territories within the Eastern Egean ““ not at last in concern to Turkish-Cyprus ““ these game is about multi Billions of Dollars: Multi Billions of Dollars, which could become invested by Turkey, into research and development in the field of High Technology, with the goal to become a leading Nation - of Future-Patents on Key-Technologies.
But already on the 11th October 2016 the Turtkish President Recep Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have signed ““ exactly here in Istanbul - a contract to construct together the Turkish-Stream-Pipeline. And exactly on 19th November 2018 the construction of these Turkish-Russian enterprise - has been finished up to Istanbul: Where these historically cornerstone of a Turkish-Russian cooperation has become celebrated by the both Presidents, Erdogan and Putin.

These Turkish-Stream-Pipeline should run directly from Istanbul into Bulgaria, and over these through to Serbia and Hungary, up to Austria´s Vienna ““ where there is a center for a Europe-wide Gas-spreading since decades. These Turkish-Russian-Joint-Venture-Enterprise could even gain on importance, if Turkey and Russia would maybe in Future exploit Sea-Gas-Resources - to become discovered in the Turkish Egean around Turkish-Cyprus - and alongside the coast of Syria. In concern to Syria both are cooperating deeper and deeper ““ anyway.
In these Sea-Region Turkey will face an Israeli Navy armed with most modern Germany-made Submarines. But with a backing of Russia, Turkey could receive maybe Russia-made Submarines - of even a much higher quality.

Out of the point of view of the speaker, the battle about the Energy-Suprimacy over Europe, and the Heavy-Industries of it´s Economy, will become decided between these both competing pipeline-projects - within the South of the Mediteranean Sea: On the Southflanc of Europe, between it´s cost belt - from Athen to Sizilia.

As a result of core-goals of the NATO-Strategy, the speaker is sceptic, in concern to the German-Russian North-Stream-Pipeline-Project, planned to run from Vyborg in Russia, at the Finnisher Gulf, into Greifswald in North-East Germany. The whole NATO is based since it´s very founding upon the geopolitically concept of Halford MacKinder: To define it as the highest priority - to split Germany from Russia. And Germany as a defeated state of the Second World War and further more captured within the Corset of the Union, will most likely not have the power to resist in these case - against the NATO and the EU.
And if the - since many decades developed - Intermarium-Concept should become realy added to the above mentioned MacKinder-Doctrin ““ there will be only one way for not US- or Israeli-controlled Gas into Europe: The Turkish-Stream-Pipeline. These Intermarium-Concept would be a belt of close cooperatings states from Poland, in the North, down to Ukraine, in the East. Poland and Ukraine as the both pillars of the US-Policy - to split Russia from Europe - and to expell Turkey out of it - as well: To get the European Gas-Market controlled by the USA - only ““ accompanied by their closest ally ““ Israel.

Facing these potential scenarios, the speaker forecast a dramatic gain - of geopolitically relevance - of the still very important Turkish-Stream-Pipeline-Project. These is scheduled to be completed - at the end of 2019 to the beginning of 2020. The same point of time as the North-Stream-II-Pipleline-Project´s finnishing is scheduled. But will realy both succeed? The speaker has his doubt.
And if the - since many decades developed - Intermarium-Concept should become realy added to the above mentioned MacKinder-Doctrin ““ there will be only one way for not US- or Israeli-controlled Gas into Europe: The Turkish-Stream-Pipeline. These Intermarium-Concept would be a belt of close cooperatings states from Poland, in the North, down to Ukraine, in the East. Poland and Ukraine as the both pillars of the US-Policy - to split Russia from Europe - and to expell Turkey out of it - as well: To get the European Gas-Market controlled by the USA - only ““ accompanied by their closest ally ““ Israel.

Facing these potential scenarios, the speaker forecast a dramatic gain - of geopolitically relevance - of the still very important Turkish-Stream-Pipeline-Project. These is scheduled to be completed - at the end of 2019 to the beginning of 2020. The same point of time as the North-Stream-II-Pipleline-Project´s finnishing is scheduled. But will realy both succeed? The speaker has his doubt.
But the Turkish-Stream he forecasts - to succeed. As a result of a very self-confident power-policy of Turkey towards the USA and Israel. In contrast to these, Germany bows down towards both of these states ““ denying all it´s own interests. And these situation paves the way for the Turkish-Stream-Pipeline - to gain the rank of Europe´s most important Energy-Vein to come.

These geopolitical game is all about - who will control the Energy-Supplyment of Europe: An US-Israeli Alliance? Or a Russian-Turkish Alliance ““ even supported by Iran - maybe? Europe itself is into these game no player at all. All what it is able to do - is to research and to develop alternative sources of Engergy - with the goal to substitute Gas by them. Buying it´s Gas in the USA will cause such hight product-prices - that it´s Industries will lose their competitiveness.
But the Turkish-Stream he forecasts - to succeed. As a result of a very self-confident power-policy of Turkey towards the USA and Israel. In contrast to these, Germany bows down towards both of these states ““ denying all it´s own interests. And these situation paves the way for the Turkish-Stream-Pipeline - to gain the rank of Europe´s most important Energy-Vein to come.

These geopolitical game is all about - who will control the Energy-Supplyment of Europe: An US-Israeli Alliance? Or a Russian-Turkish Alliance ““ even supported by Iran - maybe? Europe itself is into these game no player at all. All what it is able to do - is to research and to develop alternative sources of Engergy - with the goal to substitute Gas by them. Buying it´s Gas in the USA will cause such hight product-prices - that it´s Industries will lose their competitiveness.
So Europe has to chose: Beween Israel as it´s Gas-Sources under US-Protection ““ or Turkey (and maybe even Iran) with Russia in it´s - or their back. Germany seems to have still chosen: And to have ruled for Israel and the USA ““ instead of Turkey and Russia: Right now participating on the Israeli Air-Force´s military exercise “žBlue Flag“ - as a military ally - of Israel and the USA - within exactly these the Middle-East-competition.

These artice has been held on the 5th Istanbul Security Conference on 7th November 2019 as a speech. The Author is a Geopolitical Analyst belonging to a Moscow-based Russian Thinktank on Geopolitics and is operating as a Consultant on Geopolitics.
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