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Tensions in the eastern Mediterranean and relations with Turkey have been one of the biggest challenges for the EU in 2020 and will likely remain so until 2021, said the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, in a blog post.
“It is not surprising that the last European Council of the year, which took place last week, was one of the main foreign policy issues to be debated,” he added.
At the same time, he stressed that “there is a great possibility that if we continue on this downward path, the EU will have to take strong measures to convince Turkey that it is serious and determined to ensure that its interests are respected.” “I will report it to European leaders in March 2021.”
He added that when he took office, “the EU’s relationship with Turkey was already on the wane.”
In particular, it refers to “a year of unrest and ongoing activities and dialogue.”
“When I took office as High Representative a year ago, the EU’s relationship with Turkey was already on the wane. I knew from the beginning that resolving this situation would be one of the biggest challenges of my term. The mutual expectations of the EU-Joint Declaration Turkey in 2016, which followed the outbreak of the migration crisis in 2015, did not bear fruit, although they did help control migration flows to Europe.From June 2016 onwards, no progress was made in accession negotiations.
The dispute over resource exploitation in the Eastern Mediterranean has accelerated, combined with long-standing disputes over control of maritime zones between affected coastal states. Efforts in Crans Montana to find a final solution to the reunification of Cyprus failed in 2017. Turkey’s regional engagement from East and North Africa to the Western Balkans continued to gather strength. “In particular, Turkey’s active and unilateral involvement in Syria and Libya is increasingly seen as not in line with the security interests of the EU or the perceptions of all member states.”
Regarding the signing of the Turkish-Libyan memorandum, Borel stressed that it “caused serious concern” and noted that “the agreement also contained clauses on military support that opposed the UN arms embargo on Libya. This was soon accompanied by the continued development of Turkish research or drilling vessels in the eastern Mediterranean, directly challenging Greece and Cyprus.
These activities had already started before and led to the development of a special regime of EU restrictive measures aimed at protecting Cypriot waters. “Unfortunately, the Turkish NAVTEX and ships like the ‘Oruch Reis’ or the ‘Barbaros’ had become household names in Brussels.”
The High Representative speaks of a “great crisis” in March 2020 and adds that “through the strong mobilization of the media, the Turkish authorities encouraged migrants and refugees to move to the Greek border and try to enter the European Union”. ». He stressed that “the Greek authorities responded with determination” while “the EU responded with full political solidarity”.
More specifically, the High Representative emphasizes that “in March 2020 we had a great crisis. Also through the strong mobilization of the media, the highest authorities of Turkey encouraged immigrants and refugees to move to the Greek border and try to join the European Union. The Greek authorities responded decisively, repelling the pressure and the European Union responded with full political solidarity. The President of the European Council and the President of the Commission, together with the President of the European Parliament, immediately traveled to the northern border of Greece in these difficult times. I met with President Michel a little later in Ankara and we had an intense exchange of views with President Erdogan and other Turkish authorities. A few days later, President Erdogan’s visit to Brussels .
Border stability has been restored. At the request of Turkey, the EU provided clarification on the implementation of measures to support refugees hosted by Turkey. We also continue discussions on how to get back to a positive agenda. While Turkey appeared to be seeking strong political commitment, I was ready to move forward with the practical implementation of the 2016 Joint Declaration. We monitored the process, including the actual disbursement of our support to Syrian refugees hosted by Turkey, and agreed that more efforts were needed. on both sides to resume all these efforts. “
“Drilling and anachronism of war remnants”, points out Josep Borrell, and explains that “the continuous development of Turkish exploration and drilling vessels, whether in waters adjacent to Cyprus or Greece, has created a very negative environment that has prevented the development of a positive environment “. This led me to travel to Greece, Cyprus and Turkey at the end of June. My objective was clear: I wanted to explore with the main protagonists the possibilities of starting a real dialogue that would help address pending issues. In addition to the strong support of both the President of the European Council and the President of the Commission. “I would also like to note here the remarkable diplomatic activity carried out by Germany, beginning with Chancellor Merkel and her good friend and colleague Chancellor Haiko Maas.”
“I wanted to explore with the main protagonists the possibilities of starting a real dialogue that helps to address the pending issues,” he said.
He added that “I visited the northern borders of Greece and flew as close as possible to the drilling platforms developed by Turkey in an area close to the coast of Cyprus.” I also took a night walk along the green line in Nicosia and saw the abandoned city of Varosia by helicopter within an area controlled by Cyprus. The anachronism of these vestiges of war, frozen in the past, and testimony to another unresolved conflict in the middle of the European Union, was deeply disturbing and revealing. There has been no progress since I visited Varos in 2005 as President of the European Parliament. At least this visit further strengthened my resolve to seek solutions.
Although the relationship with Turkey is very complicated and has many dimensions, I came to the conclusion that the disagreements with Greece and the non-resolution of the Cyprus issue are central elements. My trip to Ankara in July confirmed this, and Foreign Minister Tsavousoglu emphasized Turkey’s role in protecting the rights of Turkish Cypriots and explained Turkey’s views on the exploitation of resources in Cypriot waters. For his part, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar gave me a detailed presentation, from the Turkish perspective, of the incident a few weeks earlier between a French frigate and a group of Turkish naval units.
Minister Tsavousoglu says goodbye to me at a joint press conference in which he harshly criticized some Member States, as well as the EU itself, denouncing tendentious and hostile attitudes towards Turkey. I preferred to respond in the language of diplomacy, although the tone and wording used by the Turkish host asked me if that would be enough.
I do not want to go on to give a detailed description of my various efforts to find a venue for a renewed bilateral dialogue between Greece and Turkey on maritime disputes and confidence-building measures, or to discuss how to support the UN efforts to resume talks to the solution of the Cyprus problem. Suffice it to say here that channeling both issues through proper diplomatic and technical procedures is essential to create space for a healthy relationship between the EU and Turkey. These are issues that can no longer be postponed.
My trip to Malta in mid-August to meet Minister Tsavousoglou ended due to the signing of a maritime demarcation agreement between Greece and Egypt. “Turkey’s response was to suspend a planned resumption of exploratory talks with Greece aimed at resolving maritime disputes.”
He goes on to say that “we have to find a way out of the face-to-face dynamic and get back to cooperation and trust. That was the main message of the October European Council and it was repeated last week.” I think there is more understanding of this today. by Turkey than in October, “he said, adding, however, that” the situation has not improved substantially. “Therefore, our overall estimate for the year should be negative.” But we also have the opportunity to fix the things and that’s what we have to do. “
Finally, Josep Borrell states that “we still have the opportunity to reorient our relations. The EU is approaching Turkey in the hope that it will understand, and the agenda put forward by the EU leaders is clear. I am ready, in cooperation with the Commission and the Member States, to discuss our proposals for a positive agenda with Turkey and to explore ways to further our relations. This could also include strengthening regional cooperation through a conference on the Eastern Mediterranean. “But for everything If this happens, actions that may be considered aggressive or contrary to the interests of the EU must cease “.
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