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Sanctions messages are being sent to Ankara ahead of the December Summit, where decisions are expected from the European Union. They both moved in this direction Head of European Diplomacy, Josep Borrell, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Haiko Maas.
Distance
These warnings may not seem categorical and they certainly do not anticipate the final outcome at the December European Council, but they do lead to a strong climate of unease in the EU over Turkish crime that continues and increases in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The end result that no one can know as well as the previous months when the problem was raised sanctions the EU was hampering and procrastinating. Yet after so many months, the whole climate shows that even those who rejected the sanctions can hardly justify their insistence on rejecting the sanctions.
The fact that Berlin, which has been a key factor in blocking sanctions on Turkey to date, is now, even on a rhetorical level, forced by the German Foreign Minister to warn with sanctions if Erdogan’s leadership continues down the path of provocation. If nothing else shows that the gap that has been created between the EU and Turkey is constantly growing.
“So far there are no positive messages from Turkey,” Josep Borrell said at a press conference after the teleconference from Europe’s Foreign Ministers.
Decisions in December
At the same time, he reiterated “the solidarity of the EU in Greece and Cyprus” and added that “it is important that Turkey to understand that their behavior increases their distance from the EU. “
“To return to the positive agenda, as we hope, we will demand a fundamental change of tactics by Turkey,” he said.
At the same time, Mr Borel said that the European Council will give “the critical directions next month”, noting that “time is running out and we are approaching a crucial moment in the EU’s relationship with Turkey”.
Finally, the High Representative spoke of “very negative events” referring to the recent events in Varosia.
There will be a question of penalties
Turkey must stop provocations in the eastern Mediterranean if it wants to avoid further EU talks on sanctions against Ankara at its December summit, it warned today. German Foreign Minister Haiko Maas.
“It is up to Turkey what decision is made at the EU summit in December,” Maas said shortly before the start of a meeting with his European counterparts.
The German minister estimated that if there are no positive signals from Turkey for December and only new challenges, such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Occupied Cyprus, then the discussion will be difficult.
“Then the question of imposing sanctions on Turkey will definitely come up again,” Maas said, according to AMPE.
Pessimism about de-escalation
THE Kyriakos Mitsotakis In an interview with Sky News Arabia, he reiterated that Turkey would have consequences if it continued this provocative behavior.
“A deadline has already been set, which is the next European Council to be held in December, where developments in recent months will be evaluated and a decision will be made on a common European attitude towards Turkey.
Unfortunately, in recent weeks we have not seen Turkey stop this provocative behavior. “There are ongoing challenges on our part to the detriment of our sovereign rights in the eastern Mediterranean and a worryingly provocative attitude towards Cyprus, so I cannot be particularly optimistic that we can talk about a possible escalation of the situation,” he said.
There is no de-escalation
There is no de-escalation of the challenges by Turkey, is the message sent by Greece in preparation for the Summit on December 8, where the issue of Euro-Turkish relations and the possibility of imposing or not imposing sanctions for part of the EU in neighboring countries. country.
To the question of whether Greece has a framework of sanctions prepared that it will ask to be imposed on Turkey Stelios Petsas He referred to the list of sanctions drawn up by the competent EU Commissioner Mr Borrell, while Greece’s final position will take into account the results of the current EU Council of Foreign Ministers.
“We do not consider in any case that there has been de-escalation. There is a list from Mr. Borrell on the subject of possible sanctions. “We will wait to see how the next Summit is prepared after this Council (ss of the European Foreign Ministers)”, said Mr Petsas.
No margin
He informed his counterparts about the Turkish provocation in Foreign Affairs Council Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, who raised the issue of Turkey’s actions against Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean and the Turkish provocations in the Cyprus EEZ and the occupied ones that culminated in Erdogan’s visit to Varos.
THE Nikos Dendias He clarified that there is no room for dialogue because of Turkey, and indirectly but clearly called on the EU to prepare for the imposition of sanctions.
“Unfortunately, under Turkey’s responsibility, there seems to be no room for a ‘positive dialogue with Turkey,'” Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said today in a teleconference of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.
“The European Union must immediately prepare and adopt appropriate measures that oblige Turkey to respect international law,” he added.
Your advertisement @GreeceMFA on what I have said about the continued illegal and provocative Turkish actions in the Foreign Affairs Council #DO from #EU, which was carried out by videoconference. https://t.co/m5kDL1Lc18
– Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) November 19, 2020
Exploratory contacts
Regarding the point of Greek-Turkish relations with respect to exploratory contacts, earlier today at noon the government spokesman clarified that at this stage they cannot be restarted due to Turkish provocations.
“Communication between the two countries has been at a higher level lately. Mr. Tsavousoglou called Mr. Dendias, the two Foreign Ministers of the two countries spoke. A condition for the resumption of exploratory contacts is clear. Provocative actions must stop. Unfortunately instead we saw an extension of the illegal Navtex or the issuance of a new illegal Navtex and the provocative visit of the Turkish president to the Occupied Territories in the Varosia region. All of these are evaluated and of course in In this climate, there can be no resumption of exploratory contacts ”, underlined Stelios Petsas.
Will be called united
Mr. Petsas added that “we have before us a very important European Council in December where Europe will be convened again to have a response in relation to the progress that has been made or the setback that has occurred between the conclusions of the European Council of 2 October and the December European Council to decide whether it is time to impose sanctions on the neighboring country. “
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