Turkey maintains tension with Oruc Reis within the Greek continental shelf – Why don’t they catch the threats of sanctions? POLITICS

Within the Greek peninsula, in an area delimited by the new illegal Turkey Navtex, the Oruc Reis sets sail from 5:00 p.m. on Monday, raising the thermometer in the Eastern Mediterranean and ignoring the threats of EU sanctions. Athens intensifies the diplomatic marathon.

The seismographic ship “Oruc Reis is moving southwest, accompanied by Turkish warships. It sails at speeds of up to 7 knots, which is not suitable for laying cables for seismic studies.

At first reading, it appears that Turkey avoided sending the “Orus Reis” too close to the Greek coast, to distance 6.5 nm, but he directed it about 30 nautical miles south of Strongyli and Ro, albeit within the illegal Navtex. After 22:00 the Turkish seismograph opened its transmitters and revealed its location.

See the position of “Oruc Reis” at 22:29 on the marinetraffic map at the bottom right

THE sudden act of escalating tension in the eastern Mediterranean from the Turkish side, just 24 hours after the opening of Varosia and in instead of five at the beginning of exploratory contacts with Greece, it shows that Ankara continues to play the role of challenges.

Erdogan’s ear is not sweating from threats of sanctions

According to analysts, Turkey feels narrow international pressure to sit at the table of exploratory contacts with Greece, discuss in the light of International Law or consider that through the intensity background you can get more profit. Perhaps both dictate the movements of the Turkish leadership.

Everything shows that … Erdogan’s ear doesn’t seem to be sweating in spite of the threats of sanctions which was approached by the Summit of the “27” at the beginning of the month, setting the next December Summit as the deadline at the latest.

The text of the conclusions of the “27”, which was finally agreed after many hours of negotiations, at the recent Summit, characteristically read:

“twenty. Recalling and reaffirming its previous conclusions on Turkey in October 2019, in the event of new unilateral actions or challenges in violation of international law, the EU will use all available tools. and their options pursuant to Article 29 TEU and Article 215 TFEU to defend their interests and those of their Member States. The European Council will continue to closely monitor developments, return accordingly and make appropriate decisions at the December Summit at the latest. “

Perhaps the most characteristic statement was made by the President of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiadis, who stated that the new Turkish challenges should now create a crisis of appreciation on the part of Europeans, who still believe that with stupidity there will be a reversal of the Turkish provocation.

New Navtex from Turkey

Late on Monday night, Turkey issued a new illegal Navtex with the aim of “canceling” the Greek, which had come in response to the first Turk.

It is recalled that shortly after 10:00 am Athens took another action to block the “Oruc Reis” journey. As it became known, the Heraklion Crete station of the Navy hydrographic service issued an anti-Navtex on the occasion of Turkey’s illegal Navtex for the “Oruc Reis”.

TURNHOS N / W: 1274/20 (Antalya NAVTEX Station) (Post Date: 10-12-2020 21:18)

TURNHOS N / W: 1268/20
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
1. R / V WITH FLAGS OF TURKEY ORUÇ REİS, ATAMAN AND CENGİZHAN ARE CONDUCTING A SEISMIC SURVEY ON THE CONTINENTAL SHELF OF TURKEY ON BEHALF OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW.
2. THE UNAUTHORIZED STATION HAS NAVTEX MESSAGE NUMBER HA79-596 / 20 IN THE TURKISH NAVTEX SERVICE AREA. THE ANTALYA NAVTEX STATION HAS THE AUTHORITY FOR THE DIFFUSION OF NAVTEX MESSAGES IN THE AREA.
3. ANTALYA TURK RADIO NAVTEX NR FA06-1262 / 20 IS STILL VALID AND EFFECTIVE. THE ANTALYA STATION WILL CONTINUE TO PROMULATE NAVTEX MESSAGES FOR THE SAFETY OF NAVIGATORS.
4. CANCEL THIS MESSAGE 222059Z OCTOBER 20.

The fleet is on high alert

He immediately raised an alarm to the Pentagon as Defense Minister N. Panagiotopoulos rushed back from Portugal. According to SKAI, Greek Navy units, both surface and submarine, have been deployed in the area from the first moment, closely monitoring the movements of Turkish ships. If necessary, these units will be further strengthened. According to SKAI, the head of GEETHA has even instructed all branches of the Armed Forces to be on standby.

Erdogan provokes again: Greece provokes tension!

At the same time, the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a communication with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, threw … oil on the fire, blaming the tension in … Athens.
The Turkish president, referring to the tension in the Eastern Mediterranean, spoke of a “benevolent approach” and added that the situation remains tense under the responsibility of Greece. Erdogan characteristically commented that “despite Turkey’s well-intentioned approach, Greece continues steps that increase tension in the Eastern Mediterranean.”

In fact, the Turkish president seems to be telling Charles Michel that for the conference on the Eastern Mediterranean, which has been proposed by Turkey, several more steps will have to be taken. Earlier, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoλουlu described as unfounded the accusations of our country about the illegal NAVTEX that the Turkish researcher is exposing once again openly.

Concerns about a “hot episode” of the internationalists

Internationalists also express concern about further escalation in the eastern Mediterranean.

Panteion University Professor of International Relations and ND MP Dimitris Kairidis, speaking with SKAI, expressed concern that Erdogan is looking for a hot episode.

While the internationalist Konstantinos Filis, executive director of the Institute of International Relations at Panteion University, wrote in a Twitter post: “If we do not diplomatically and operationally block the entry of Oruts Reyes, we will be badly involved.”

On Tuesday, the meeting between Mitsotakis and Maas in Maximou

The meeting that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will hold with German Foreign Minister Haiko Maas is considered of great importance on Tuesday afternoon at the Palace of the Maxims. Mr Mitsotakis is expected to raise the Turkey issue directly in light of new developments, although he has already briefed the President of the European Council, Charles Michel.

It should be noted that Mr. Maas canceled his trip to Ankara and will visit only Greece and Cyprus.

Athens puts sanctions on the European table

Kyriakos Mitsotakis pointed out to Mr Michel that he will present this new unilateral action, which is a serious escalation by Turkey, at the European Council meeting on 15-16 October.

Government officials say sanctions have been on the table since the previous summit and that “it is time for Europe to make its decisions.”

Likewise, Nikos Dendias informed his colleagues about this development in the current Council of Foreign Ministers.

It is noted that, as announced by government spokesman Stelios Petsas, the Greek Prime Minister is expected to take other initiatives in the coming days to highlight the Turkish provocation both in the Aegean and in Cyprus and is expected to hold telephone conversations with the German Chancellor. , Angela Merkel and French President Emanuel Macron.

Gerapetritis: Greece will not tolerate an argument under conditions of blackmail and threat

We all understand that, given the circumstances imposed by Turkey, it is impossible for any dialogue to take place. “Greece has made it an exclusive condition to enter a debate based on international law, that there should be no aggressive action,” said Minister of State George Gerapetritis in the ERT evening bulletin, adding: “We continue to believe that the only solution is the debate, but a debate in conditions of blackmail and threat, the Hellenic Republic will not tolerate it ”.

Reactions from France, Germany, international press

In any case, the new challenge infuriated France. The French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman expressed concern about the new measure by Turkish researcher Oruc Reis and called on Ankara to “meet its commitments, stay away from new challenges and show tangible evidence of its goodwill.”

A spokesman for the German Chancellor, Stephen Seibert, also said that if “Oruc Reis” carried out seismic studies in the Eastern Mediterranean, “it would be a very sad and reckless step”, adding that it would torpedo the Mediterranean and not help EU-Turkey relations.

The international press is already commenting that Turkey is sending the ship of discord back to Kastellorizo, while recalling that Erdogan himself had characterized the withdrawal of “Oruc Reis” as a measure of goodwill.

Josep Borel described the announcement of a new Turkish NAVTEX “affecting Greece” as “sad”.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy during a press conference following the conclusion of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU stressed that these actions “lead to an escalation”.

“We have heard from Greek and Cypriot colleagues about the latest developments,” said Josep Borrell, noting that “the openness of Varos undermines mutual trust,” he added. At the same time, he noted that “Turkey should not have a negative attitude”, as this does not lead to a de-escalation.

The Greek Foreign Minister also issued a strict statement condemning the new Turkish NAVTEX, noting that it is a major escalation and a direct threat and calling on Ankara to withdraw.

Instead, instead of slowing down, Turkey is adding new fuel to the fire. In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry notes that in the Greek Foreign Minister’s announcement, the objections raised to the new NAVTEX are unfounded and incompatible with International Law. “It is unacceptable to oppose our country, which has the largest coastline in the eastern Mediterranean, and to ask to act only 15 kilometers from the mainland,” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.