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The government is making a bitter joke and says it is satisfied with the results of the EU Summit for Turkey, as the final text of the conclusions is different from the two initial drafts and extremely positive for Ankara and although there is no information on the sanctions. , reference is made to the specific articles of the Treaties on the imposition of sanctions (articles 29 and 215). However, it is a fact that the final text of the conclusions also deviates from the original objectives of both Athens and Nicosia.
This is not because an automated mechanism is institutionalized to impose sanctions on Turkey if it violates the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus again, but rather that the EU will “closely monitor developments and make appropriate decisions for the December 2020 Summit to latest “. Of course, no sanctions were imposed on Turkey for the ongoing challenges in the Cypriot EEZ.
However, German Chancellor Angela Merkel anticipated events when, in her statements at the Summit, she spoke out against the imposition of sanctions on Turkey. Berlin’s disagreement with any difficult decision against Ankara was certainly well known. And many in the blue faction now believe that Merkel’s rescue was promised to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. the night of July 21-22 for the withdrawal of 18 Turkish warships from Kastelorizo, was the guarantee that he would not allow the EU to impose sanctions on Turkey.
It is recalled that it was the first Greek-Turkish crisis of the summer and that it was later revealed that the German Chancellor had contacted Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis before and again the next day.
The German newspaper Bild even wrote that Ms Merkel prevented a war between Greece and Turkey.
As is well known, of course, then and under the pretext of the Greece-Egypt agreement on the EEZ that stopped the illegal Turkish-Libyan memorandum, Turkey stepped up the challenges with Oruc Reis, who withdrew in time for the Summit. It is recalled that a week was postponed due to the coronavirus, but a postponement that was considered a “diplomatic illness” since Cyprus threatened to block the sanctions on Belarus, which the EU, unlike the sanctions on Turkey, was determined to impose .
Why is Berlin so fond of Turkey? The reasons are many. Economic, purely voters, since many citizens of Turkish origin live in Germany, but also for refugee-immigrants, since Merkel believes that Turkey is curbing the flows towards Europe.
But before rushing to denounce “German-occupied Europe”, keep in mind that not only Berlin was extremely cautious about sanctions in Ankara. Despite the promises of the recent Euro-Mediterranean Summit, Spain and Italy did not want sanctions and certainly not economic ones either. The reason is simple: Spanish banks in particular are exposed in Turkey with loans of 82.8 billion euros. But Italian banks have also lent to their neighbor and, in general, the European economy has openings in Turkey, fearing a collapse of the Turkish economy.
Spain maintains close defense cooperation with Turkey. Neighbors have bought frigates and a helicopter from the Spanish state company Navantia and it was one of the top five clients of the Spanish defense industry in 2019.
Eastern European countries are also showing tolerance towards Turkey, as they fear that a complete break with the EU will push Ankara to Russian arms. It is not insignificant that Mr. Mitsotakis during his meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also discussed the issue of Turkey, although the main issue, which prevailed in the meeting that the leaders of the Visegrad countries had with the leaders of the countries . of the South is to be the first to stop blocking the Recovery Fund, because respect for the rule of law is established as a condition for funding.
The Greek and Cypriot positions were supported at the Summit by France (due to the conflict of interests with Turkey in Libya and the Middle East), Austria (since the far-right Kurdish “sells” to his voters a tough stance against Ankara in the refuge , in complete contrast to Merkel’s policy) and Slovenia.
However, it is not insignificant that, as was seen at the Summit, Greek-Turkish relations are becoming Euro-Turkish. As long as the EU starts to function a little more as a Union …
The government also cites the reaction of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which welcomed the positive points in the text of the conclusions for Turkey, but reiterated the constant Turkish complaint that the EU is led by Greece and Cyprus, and not it does. recognizes Turkey’s rights in the distribution of energy in the Eastern Mediterranean. A reaction that, however, has to do with Turkish maximalism.
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