(by Massimiliano D'Elia) The game played on the chessboard between Italy and Turkey marked a new move by Istambul, a kind of checkmate. Today the entire Libyan government that has just taken office will go to Turkey. President Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah will lead a delegation of 13 ministers, including the Army Chief of Staff and the Central Bank Governor. Although diplomatic sources state that the meeting had been scheduled for some time, many argue that in recent days there has been an acceleration. The reason is simple, to give an answer to Italy, but above all to our interests in Libya and in the entire Mediterranean, from the Greek islands to Libya. The answer to Draghi's statement last Thursday that he defined Erdogan "a dictator", in the absence of an official apology from Italy, is to interfere also economically on our interests. It is no coincidence that the supply of Leonardo AW-169 helicopters for a value of 70 million euros was suspended by Turkey. The very Italian Ferrero is also shaking, as it has one of its largest hazelnut crops in Turkey. In total, about 1500 Italian companies do business in Anatolia for a pre-pandemic exchange that was around 17 billion euros.
Returning to Libya, the Turkish strategy is subtle. Erdogan after defending Tripoli from the troops of General Haftar and the mercenaries of the Russian private company Wagner will today ask the Libyan government for the bill. It is not just a question of guaranteeing orders to the 130 Turkish companies already present in the territory but perhaps something more. Being able to manage or direct the migratory flows from the North African country at will is a decisive strategic weapon to hit Italy and Europe, which have always been wary of the Turkish presence in NATO and even more reticent about an entry of the former Ottoman empire to the within the European community. If Erdogan succeeded in his plan, he would have the entire old continent in check. To the east with Syrian refugees and to the south from Libya with migrants from all over Africa.
However, Erdogan could ask even more of Libya. The maintenance of the memorandum signed in 2018 that creates the Turkish-Libyan maritime jurisdiction area. It cuts the Mediterranean in two and seriously damages Greece. Area where there are also the interests of our Eni, which already in the past with the Saipem exploration ships had to back down after being intimidated by Turkish military ships.
Pending an official apology from the Italian government, another move is expected on the hottest chessboard in the Mediterranean. Perhaps the mission of Foreign Minister Di Maio in the USA could be the definitive solution: to seek unconditional support for the stars and stripes in Libya and beyond.