Turkey plans to negotiate a maritime boundary agreement with Syria to boost energy exploration in the Mediterranean, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdülkadir Uraloğlu announced Tuesday in Ankara, Bloomberg reported.
The potential agreement would expand the countries’ “areas of influence” in energy resources, Uraloğlu said, emphasizing that any deal would comply with international law.
A similar 2019 maritime pact between Turkey and Libya escalated tensions with Greece over Mediterranean energy exploration.
Turkey, which has become a significant player in Syria following the collapse of former President Bashar Assad’s regime, aims to strengthen ties with Syria’s new leadership. Hosting about 3 million Syrian migrants, Turkey also seeks opportunities for Turkish companies in postwar reconstruction.
Uraloğlu said that advancing talks on a maritime deal hinges on Syria’s political stability. Turkey has joined other regional nations in offering support for Syria’s rebuilding efforts and is looking to collaborate on infrastructure projects, including port development, he added.