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ISTANBUL – ANSWER. The launch of a new NAVTEX by Ankara for the “Oruch Reis” investigations did not strike like a thunderbolt in the air, as irritation from the Turkish side was evident in recent days. The conclusions of the European Council were not entirely satisfactory for Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had also expressed his objections in the teleconference he held last week with Angela Merkel. According to the Turkish presidency, Erdogan had told the foreign minister that the EU “succumbed to blackmail” by Greece and Cyprus.
In Ankara, however, there was irritation with the NAVTEX issued by Greece for the exercises in Chios and Lesbos, in view of the exploratory contacts and a few hours after the meeting of Nikos Dendias with Mevlut Tsavousoglou. Turkish officials claimed that the Greek NAVTEX, which had included October 29, which is a national holiday in Turkey, violated the Papoulias-Yilmaz memorandum and that it was a “provocative” measure.
Likewise, the successive declarations of the Greek government that only the issues of the continental shelf and the maritime areas of responsibility will be discussed in the exploratory contacts were considered “an attempt to undermine the dialogue” by Athens. The Turkish side believes that all issues should be raised in the exploratory contacts of both countries.
The upcoming visit of German Foreign Minister Haiko Maas to Athens appears to be seen as an opportunity for the Turkish government. Political analysts estimate that Berlin can force the Greek government to sit at the table of dialogue on all the disputes so as not to increase the tension in the Eastern Mediterranean.
With a statement from its Foreign Ministry, Ankara makes clear what it is asking Greece to initiate exploratory contacts. In the first place, Athens is asked to “withdraw its maximalist claims contrary to international law, which are incorporated in the Charter of Seville, to put an end to the exercises and military activities that increase tensions in the Aegean and the Mediterranean and, above all ,, with exploratory contacts to start an honest dialogue with us ”.
Indicative of the climate are the statements of Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, who said: “Our neighbors are attacking our technical, scientific and innocent work and doing everything possible to increase tension. They are making provocations.” Likewise, the head of aeronautical affairs of the neighboring country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tsagatai Erziges, in a message on Twitter, stated that “Greece is behind any illegal and unfair action in the region.” Finally, last night, Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a telephone conversation with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. According to the Turkish presidency, Erdogan said that “despite Turkey’s good intentions, Greece continues to take steps to increase tensions in the eastern Mediterranean.”
