[ad_1]
Mike pompeo
The US messages to Erdogan are very strong, he has no margins and at least until the US elections he will “come together.” It has become clear to him that any repetition of the challenges of the last few months could cause many Greek-American voters not to vote for Trump, something that even the Turkish president would not want, points out via liberal.gr Thanos Veremis, commenting for a second once in a year. Pompeo’s visit to Greece.
The professor emeritus of the EKPA adds that a large part of US policy has declined due to Turkey’s attitude towards NATO, which it “abuses” at every opportunity, to show that it is a friend of Russia, which is why he considers it very possible. . the Souda base to take on various Incirlik functions, the importance of which is constantly diminishing in the eyes of American interest. “Everything shows Souda”, as they say,
Interview with George Fintikakis
– What to expect from Pompeo’s visit to Greece?
First, while the opinion may seem unorthodox to some, let’s not forget the Trump administration’s interest in the Greek diaspora, the Greek-American voters. It is impressive that Pompeo has visited Greece twice in the last year. One in October 2019 and another now, while meeting once in Vienna with N. Dendias. Probably the strong presence of the Greek community in the run-up to the US elections also helps in all of this.
In addition to these, there is of course the long-approved agreement for the enhancement of defense cooperation between Greece and the US, the armament, that is, the enhancement of the 84 F-16 fighters and the frigates that the country wants to buy.
From there and beyond, Pompeo’s visit to Thessaloniki yesterday marks the enhanced role that the US sees Greece can play in the new map of the Balkans, yet the main course of the arrival of the American chancellor to our country is called Souda.
The huge US military base is not excluded from assuming in the future and various functions of Incirlik, whose importance is constantly diminishing in the eyes of the American interest. The importance of Incirlik is steadily decreasing due to Turkey’s growing cooperation with Russia. If Moscow is motivated by this cooperation with Ankara, it is the weakening of NATO’s cohesion. This game is played by Turkey. All this together constitutes a new situation that leads to a single direction: In Souda. It is being improved as a base of strategic importance, it is not excluded from assuming the functions of Incirlik, although it has a different weight anyway since the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East are now a field of confrontation of the great powers. The only certain thing is that a part of US policy, especially in the defense sector, has renounced the Turkish attitude towards NATO, which Ankara “abuses” at every opportunity, to show Russia that it is a friendly country. .
– What messages do these movements send to Turkey?
Judging by Erdogan’s statements, Pompeo’s presence twice in the last year has seriously bothered him and he has not even passed through Turkey. On the other hand, I repeat that such a policy may be related to some extent with the upcoming elections, so they should be directed at the Greek community. A very important “weapon” that we as a country have ignored and do not lobby through it in favor of Greek interests during the US electoral period.
– So Pompeo’s visit may not give us easy solutions in Greek-Turkish, but it does offer us opportunities, right?
I repeat, Mr. Pompeo appeared twice in Greece, while he also passed through Nicosia, maneuvers that greatly upset Turkey. Beyond that, I don’t think the trip to Pompeo and Souda’s update will affect the debate on starting a dialogue with Turkey. I am sure that Erdogan will enter into a dialogue with his recognized positions and in addition to the two issues we raised, the EEZ and the continental shelf, they will demand that we discuss, for example, the demilitarization of the islands, the minority in Thrace, the “gray Sin However, where Pompeo’s visit and Souda’s update will play a role is in terms of the aggression from Ankara and the impressive military actions of recent months.
Do you think Pompeo’s visit to Greece will make Turkey less militarily aggressive?
Yes, it will make it less aggressive. Erdogan’s rhetoric, like the one he repeated yesterday that “we are the owners of the Mediterranean”, is directed at the national level, it is for internal consumption. I estimate that the fleet will not return to sea for at least a while. Erdogan has met, will meet again, and Pompeo’s visit also plays a role. Aside from the fact that Turkey has come under a lot of pressure recently from France, Egypt and Israel, the US position is certainly of the utmost importance. In words, Erdogan is not going to back down, but in practice he will weigh the situation differently. I don’t think I’m going to be seventy for a while. He will surely return after the US elections, but he has received timely messages that until then he has no place, as the challenges of the last month could cause many Greek-American voters not to vote for Trump on November 3. And Erdogan would not want Trump to lose the election.
– Comment on the new front that Turkey has opened in the Caucasus. You see climbing;
Turkey’s involvement in Nagorno-Karabakh against the Armenians cannot go very far. The Armenians have an ally called Russia. Moscow supports and supports the Armenians and Turkey knows this very well. He can say in words “our brothers are Azeris”, but in practice he cannot do the slightest thing. So what we see happening in the last 48 hours is done for internal consumption.
[ad_2]
