Dealing with a dangerous dispute in the eastern Med

AT THIS TIMENATOEU of year the eastern Mediterranean evokes thoughts of holiday beaches. It has become a destination for superyachts avoiding covid-hit Spain. Unfortunately, this summer the region is also luring warships, as tensions rise between Greece and Turkey over disputed waters. A collision between Greek and Turkish frigates on August 12th was the worst confrontation between the two allies since a face-off on an uninhabited island in 1996 that nearly led to war. In a show of solidarity with Greece, a fellow member, France has moved a couple of Rafale fighter jets to Crete and deployed two warships to exercise with the Greek navy. Unless cool heads prevail, there is a risk that matters will escalate further—even as far as blows.Three main ingredients make this a recipe for trouble. One is interest in the region’s gas resources, which for a decade have been attracting the attention not just of Greece and Turkey but also Cyprus, Israel, Egypt and others. Several countries aspire to be a regional energy hub, helping supply the European market and providing a strategic alternative to Russian gas. Boosters hoped pipelines running across the eastern Med area could be a catalyst for regional co-operation, which in some cases they have (see ).