EU-NATO: Blur the picture with “injections” of optimism – Wrong message for Erdogan



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Thursday, September 24, 2020, 00:02

The Europeans and NATO insist on sending the wrong messages to Erdogan, turning a blind eye to the fact that the violation of the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus and the threat of their continuation may continue without consequences and Euro-Turkish relations may continue. as usual.

The impression given to Mr. Erdogan that the withdrawal (for maintenance, as he put it) from Oruc Reis and the agreement for the resumption of problematic exploratory contacts are sufficient to obtain a pardon for what has preceded the Greek continental shelf and what continues. What is happening within the Cyprus EEZ, simply discourages Turkey. And so even this process of exploratory contacts is being undermined, as Mr. Erdogan, apparently having German commitments not to allow sanctions against Turkey, will have no incentive to seek progress in the dialogue, nor, of course. completely abandon the politics of challenges.

It is no coincidence that Berlin and Brussels rushed with “injections” of optimism, to give dimension to an event … cosmogenic, in the Agreement for the initiation of exploratory contacts for which the date of the first meeting has not yet been decided, while the aggravated climate in which the process will begin due to Turkey’s demand to turn this discussion into all the negotiating material.

In recent days, the European leadership has engaged in an effort to appease and beautify Mr. Erdogan with the sole aim of not directing a process of normalization of Greek-Turkish relations and adjusting Turkey’s ambitions in the context its size as a regional but limited power. influence, but to avoid a break in Euro-Turkish relations with which the Turkish leader is blackmailing.

The blackmail carried out by Berlin against Cyprus not to insist on the imposition of additional sanctions (which are mainly of a symbolic nature, as they refer to some additional names of people and companies involved in illegal drilling and investigations within the Cyprus EEZ), brings in a particularly difficult position and Greece and of course Nicosia. As the waiver of the veto imposed on the sanctions for Belarus (in order to jointly approve the two packages of sanctions) would mean the absolute surrender of the weapons of Nicosia and specifically of the only weapon it has, membership of the EU. ..

But NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg was quick to welcome the resumption of exploration and “progress” in technical discussions (which have already closed five rounds and refer to some scale accident prevention measures limited), wanting him to maintain the “positive atmosphere” ..

However, for the Greek government, the climate of euphoria that European agents and NATO are trying to create in Berlin, makes it difficult to manage the Summit, since the German Presidency offers an alibi to affirm that there should be no discussion for the approval of the sanctions, since this endangered the de-escalation process and exploratory dialogue.

The representative of the Chancellery, Mr. Seibert, stated that the issue of sanctions will be discussed at the EU Summit, but he referred significantly to Borrell’s statements, saying that the German government “shares an interest in a broader relationship. and constructive between the EU and the EU. ” “Turkey, which has many common interests, has great potential for closer cooperation: issues of economic cooperation, issues of regional stability and immigration.” Taking this into account, Mr Seibert acknowledged that the Greek-Turkish Agreement on the initiation of exploratory contacts “can help the European Council in terms of EU-Turkey relations”.

Time is running out, Athens “breathes” with the withdrawal of Oruc Reis, but it is clear that it must avoid the trap that is set not only to “wash” Turkey but to be forced to pay the price itself to be able to There has been an escalation of the crisis artificially caused by Turkey with illegal investigations on the Greek continental shelf.



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