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A former Turkish admiral and key architect of Ankara’s “Blue Homeland” doctrine is pointing the finger at Greek and Cypriot lobbying in the United States for Lebanon’s recent agreement to define its maritime boundaries with Cyprus.
Speaking on Turkish television, Cihat Yayci, a former rear admiral and vocal supporter of Turkish expansionism in the eastern Mediterranean, questioned why Turkey didn’t stop Beirut from signing the deal.
“Isn’t Turkey an influential country in Lebanon?” he asked, suggesting the agreement could have been blocked. Yayci also repeated Turkey’s longstanding claim that Cyprus’ maritime boundaries are “illegal,” arguing the deal ignored the rights of Turkish Cypriots.
Lobbying, not Washington favoritism
Yayci dismissed the idea that the United States simply favors Cyprus. “It’s not because the United States has a weakness for them,” he said. Instead, he pointed to the power of Greek and Cypriot lobbies in Washington, claiming they are steadily shaping policy in the eastern Mediterranean through a slow, step-by-step “fait accompli.”
He argued that this lobbying, rather than diplomacy or international law, is determining the balance of power in the region.
A familiar narrative
Yayci’s comments echo a common narrative among Ankara-linked analysts: that regional energy deals are the product of lobbying and influence, not the sovereign decisions of neighboring states.
Cyprus has signed EEZ agreements with several neighbors, including Egypt and Israel, under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, a treaty Turkey does not recognize.
Tensions over maritime boundaries, energy exploration, and competing claims continue to roil the eastern Mediterranean, with Cyprus and Turkey remaining on opposite sides of the dispute.
