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Turkey is not in the mood for a true de-escalation. On the contrary, a few days before the EU Summit, he continues to fuel the tension, both with inflammatory rhetoric and challenges on the ground, in the context of his constant quest to create to bring the Greek side to an unconditional dialogue. .
A request that, combined with new challenges, brings back the Turkish leadership, encouraged by the attitude of the German EU Presidency, which diligently avoids taking a position on possible sanctions against Turkey.
It is indicative that on Saturday afternoon, Ankara raised the issue of the sovereign rights of Kastellorizo, demanding unconditional dialogue, while at noon, trying to show that it is an area of its own responsibility, even in the southeast of Crete, Navtex issued a Greek exercise on Monday. . A few hours earlier, with a new illegal navtex, Turkey blocked a fire-fighting zone between Rhodes and Kastelorizo from December 9 to 10, the opening day of the European Council, while the Turkish Defense Ministry broadcast a video featuring Oruc Reis and Se refers to his 82-day journey, within the Blue Homeland, as mentioned.
The truth is that the behavior of the neighboring country now exhausts all the margin that existed for the EU not to decide to act, although the member states appear divided between those who want severe sanctions and those who want mild or null sanctions. .
The goal of Greek diplomacy is to impose sanctions on Turkey without further delay. In this context, the Greek Chancellor is trying to strengthen the bloc of countries that have been formed within the EU and are in favor of sanctions and at the same time to join countries that opposed sanctions in the past and now show a tendency to change.
At the diplomatic level, the next stop of the tough processes in view of the European Council, the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday.
Raises the issue of the sovereignty of Kastellorizo and demands an unconditional dialogue
However, the fact is that the Turkish leadership “does not care” about the verbal condemnations of their criminal behavior.
Continuing with the provocations against Greek sovereign rights, he raises the issue of Kastellorizo’s sovereign rights, calling for an unconditional dialogue, accusing our country of “maximalist goals” and pointing to him because he demands the imposition of sanctions.
“Greece, as the spoiled child of Europe, intends to cause EU sanctions against Turkey based on its maximalist and illegal claims on the sea and air borders. No sanction will ever make Turkey compromise its sovereign rights in Kastelorizo or the 10 nautical miles of airspace. “Greece should enter into an unconditional dialogue with Turkey as soon as possible,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
https://t.co/S3QLtlsotA pic.twitter.com/tnWLqPIBM4
– Turkish MFA (@MFATurkey) December 5, 2020
This statement demonstrates Ankara’s annoyance, from an article by Nikos Dendias in the newspaper “TA NEA”, in which the Greek Foreign Minister, among other things, points out that decisions must be taken at the EU summit to indicate to Turkey that its behavior cannot continue without consequences and how it cannot be allowed to behave in the 21st century with the practices of the 19th century.
Try to create achieved
The Turkish government seems determined to keep tension high, ignoring calls for de-escalation, since at noon on Saturday with NAVTEX issued, it announced fire drills for next Monday, December 7, in an area south of Crete.
According to the naval directive 1509/20 issued by the Antalya station, the military exercises will take place on Monday in an area southeast of Crete.
It should be remembered that NAVTEX was issued yesterday Friday for exercises in the area between Rodas and Kastellorizo.
Ankara’s mobility comes just 24 hours before the December 10 summit, which discusses the issue of Turkish provocation and sanctions against Turkey.
Specifically, NAVTEX issued by the Antalya station says:
TURNHOS N / W: 1509/20 (Antalya NAVTEX Station) (Post Date: 12-05-2020 11:36 AM)
TURNHOS N / W: 1509/20
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
1. MILITARY EXERCISES, ON DECEMBER 07 20 FROM 0730Z TO 0830Z WITHIN 20 NM FROM 34 25.00 N, 026 50.00 E.
CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED.
2. CANCEL THIS MESSAGE 071600Z DECEMBER 20.
The “blue homeland”
And in the midst of all this, the Turkish Defense Ministry released a video starring Oruc Reis. In the video, the Turks boast that their warships, submarines, planes and drones accompanied and protected the Oruc Reis, on its 82-day trip to the Blue Homeland, as provocatively reported, in an attempt to ” gray “the Aegean and the areas even within the Greek continental shelf, where the Turkish research walked.
“Europe should send a message to Turkey that its behavior will have consequences”
The message that decisions must be made to signal to Turkey that its behavior cannot continue without consequences and that it cannot be allowed to behave in the 21st century with 19th century practices, sends in view of the European Council, with an article in the newspaper “Ta Nea”, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias.
“These decisions will not be a message from Greece, they will be a message from Europe,” emphasized Dendias, characteristically noting: “Europe faces the Turkish revisionist and is called upon to make important decisions. The European Council last October left Turkey a window of opportunity to comply with international law and put an end to its continued illegal behavior. Turkey did the opposite. With apparently goodwill gestures, it is now trying to deceive Europe. But the European Union is not naive. The European Council will be convened in a few days to make important decisions for Turkey. Of course, there is no longer room for a positive agenda. “
He further added that it would benefit Turkey in the long run as it would allow it to discern its true limits through the clouds of neo-Ottoman grandeur, and stressed that a vague condemnation of distancing itself from Europe would weaken its domestic politics. dialogue with sectors of Turkish society seeking modernization and rapprochement with Europe.
At the same time, he argued that “Greece’s position is not dictated by a punitive attitude towards Turkey, but by the need to defend sovereignty and sovereign rights, as the Mitsotakis government has made clear in every way.” In this context, Mr. Dendias said that “we want a long-term good neighborly relationship, based on full respect for international law and possibly if Turkey wants it with a European perspective” and stressed: “We are always open to dialogue constructive on these bases. Turkey must demonstrate in practice that it supports the idea of this dialogue. “But this election of Turkey must have elements of duration, not be a flag of opportunity.”
Beginning with an introduction to his article titled “Turkey’s Efforts to Create a New Yalta”, Mr. Dendias states that a component of the new Turkey created in 1923 was the engagement with the West, the effort to join the European narrative and He adds “Turkey in the 21st century is changing rapidly and radically changing. Nationalism is reviving.” And now it is combined with strong revisionism, strong neo-Ottoman Islam, as well as a clear departure from Western values, such as democracy. , human rights and respect for the rule of law. “
The goals of Athens
The goal of Greek diplomacy is to impose sanctions on Turkey without further delay. In this context, the Greek Chancellor is trying to strengthen the bloc of countries that have been formed within the EU and are in favor of sanctions and at the same time to join countries that opposed sanctions in the past and now show a tendency to change.
At the diplomatic level, the next milestone in the European Council is the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday.
The basic scenarios elaborated by Greek diplomacy and the government on what will resolve the decisions of the Summit are two: one is the decision of automatic imposition of sanctions, and the second is the sanctions that will be decided but not activated immediately. In a way, the second scenario is similar to the results of the EU Summit last October.
Analysts say the compromise that could be reached within the EU is on “light sanctions.” On the Greek side and, of course, on the Republic of Cyprus, it is considered inconceivable that this EU summit will pass without consequences for Turkey.
Athens insists on sanctions against Turkey and is trying to mobilize all European forces in this direction.
The position of Berlin and other countries.
However, Berlin, whose stance is seen as key to possible decisions, is lowering expectations of sanctions against Ankara at the next European Council.
The German side, through the government representative, essentially asserts that the European Council is not competent to impose sanctions.
In particular, answering questions about the possibility of a decision to impose sanctions on Turkey at the December 10 Summit, government spokesman Stephen Seibert clarified at the outset that “the European Council does not decide on sanctions – sanctions provide for a process legal in the EU ‘.
Mr Seibert said the EU agreed in October to resume relations with Turkey in December, but said “I do not want to prejudge this political debate next Thursday and Friday.”
Informed sources point out that under the guidance of Berlin, some countries are working on scenarios to avoid sanctions with various arguments, such as the return of Oruch Reis to Turkey, the mechanism of disengagement from NATO, or what position Bidron will decide to help States United. and the EU, transmitted by MEGA.
Germany, Italy, Spain and Malta intend to postpone the debate on sanctions until the March Summit.
On the side of Greece and Cyprus are firmly France, Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia. Diplomatic sources say that Athens is waiting for some light sanctions, as is the case in Cyprus, where sanctions are imposed on individuals and companies for illegal drilling.
The attitude of the USA
As for the US stance, the State Department has already called on Ankara to change its stance in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as on a number of issues plaguing US-Turkish relations.
At the same time, the Harvard professor, but known for his tenure as US Ambassador to Greece and State Department spokesman, Nicholas Burns, speaks with “BIMA tis Kyriakis” about the changes that Biden will bring to foreign policy. in relation to Europe and Turkey, pointing out that the United States government must defend the territorial integrity of Greece.
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