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Political analysts unanimously agreed that Turkey’s return of the exploration vessel that was sent to a disputed area in the eastern Mediterranean rich in natural gas and sparked tensions with Greece and Cyprus to a Turkish port came as a result of pressure. American and European.
Analysts added that Turkey delivers in the closing moments and backs down on thorny issues and issues in the region, when it feels there is a serious deterrent to its ambitions.
On August 10, Turkey deployed the seismic survey vessel “Oruj Reis” in waters near a Greek island, and extended its mission 3 times despite repeated calls from the European Union and Greece to end this mission.
The discovery of large gas fields in recent years in the eastern Mediterranean has revived long-standing disputes between Greece and Turkey over their maritime borders.
Turkey has been making strong statements showing its adherence to its right to explore in the areas in dispute with Greece, emphasizing that the exploration ship will continue its mission without any indication that it will soon back down.
Analysts believe that the visit of the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, to Cyprus caused a direct change in the Turkish position, which was forced to withdraw, noting that Turkey can face Greece and Cyprus, but cannot play with Washington, which, according to analysts, seems to have been quick to contain the tension. .
And Pompeo urged, during a visit to Cyprus on Saturday, Turkey to halt activities causing tension in the eastern Mediterranean, calling on all parties to support diplomatic means.
“We remain deeply concerned about Turkey’s ongoing operations” in the eastern Mediterranean, Pompeo told reporters in Nicosia, after meeting with Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides.
Pompeo signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a new training center in Cyprus with funding from the United States, to be known as the Cyprus Center for Open Lands, Seas and Port Security, which will achieve the security of the maritime borders of the Mediterranean island .
Pompeo said on Thursday that his visit to Cyprus came as a continuation of contacts made by US President Donald Trump with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
He said: “We hope there will be a real dialogue, and we hope to withdraw the military equipment.”
For his part, Cypriot Foreign Minister Anastasiades welcomed “the firm position of the United States regarding the condemnation of the illegal Turkish exploration operations within the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus.”
He added that “Turkey’s illegal activities must end immediately,” noting that he affirmed Cyprus’s support for resolving the eastern Mediterranean disputes through dialogue.
Pompeo’s visit to Nicosia came after the United States announced that it had partially lifted its one-year ban on the sale of “non-lethal” military equipment by Cyprus, infuriating Ankara.
Turkey occupied the northern part of Cyprus in 1974, in response to a coup that sought to unify the island with Greece, while Cyprus, a member of the European Union, controls two-thirds of the island’s territory.
The European Union, in turn, had threatened to impose sanctions on Ankara if it continued with its plans to explore for oil in the eastern Mediterranean.
On Thursday, the leaders of the seven southern countries of the European Union threatened to impose European sanctions on Turkey if it did not end its “unilateral activities” in the eastern Mediterranean.
Analysts believe that European efforts and pressure, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, also contributed to forcing Turkey to backtrack on its plans.
Meanwhile, a French website released on Sunday what it said was a “major” Greek program to buy weapons, especially 18 French Rafale fighter jets in the face of mounting tension with Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean, as Paris showed your support for Athens.
The French website “Est Republican” quoted Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis as saying that his country will purchase, in addition to 18 Rafale fighters, 4 frigates and 4 helicopters from the Navy, in addition to recruiting 15,000 additional soldiers and financing the defense industry. The program also includes the renovation of 4 frigates and the acquisition of anti-tank weapons, torpedoes and missiles.
According to the same source, the Greek prime minister said, in a speech in Thessaloniki, in northern Greece, “The time has come to strengthen our armed forces. This is an important program that will form a national shield.”
Kyriakos Mitsotakis accused Turkey of “threatening” the borders of Eastern Europe and “endangering” regional security. He added in a column published by 3 European newspapers saying: “We need a dialogue, but that does not happen with the gun to the head”, as he himself said.
Chapters of tension between Ankara on the one hand, and Greece and Cyprus on the other, witnessed accusations and mutual criticism between Macron and Erdogan, who finally became convinced that the withdrawal of the exploration ship is the best solution in light of the European and American opposition that their country cannot bear its cost in the midst of the crises that Ankara is going through. According to analysts.
