[ad_1]
Istanbul- On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his call for leaders of the European Union and Mediterranean countries to dialogue on controversial issues, in a move that observers see as an attempt to appease Europeans to avoid sanctions. from Brussels.
Erdogan said a “win-win formula” could be found on the eve of European leaders calling a meeting to implement their threats to impose sanctions on Turkey for its “provocations in the eastern Mediterranean.”
A dispute is raging between Greece and Turkey, the two members of NATO, over the eastern Mediterranean marine region rich in energy resources, including natural gas. Turkey enraged Greece by sending an exploration ship and navy boats into the disputed waters.
Optimism emerged last September about a way to resolve the dispute through dialogue, after Turkey and Greece agreed to keep exploratory talks stalled since 2016. But hopes were dashed with the return of “Aruj Reyes” to carry out activities of exploration late last month in a move that Athens described as a “direct threat to the peace.”
Erdogan’s statements, which had a calm tone, which observers believed was simply a maneuver to avoid sanctions, came before the start of the meeting of the European Union’s foreign ministers on Monday, which addressed the continuing tensions with Turkey, as well as the future of transatlantic relations after US President Donald Trump left power. .
“I call on all neighboring Mediterranean countries, especially Greece, not to see this issue as a losing game,” Erdogan said. “I think we can come up with a formula that preserves the rights of all,” he added.
The Turkish president renewed the call to “gather all parties around the negotiating table”, including the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, which only Ankara recognizes. However, Greece insists that Turkey halt exploration operations before the start of negotiations.
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said Monday that “the European Union must take action on Turkey’s shameful behavior,” adding that “Ankara has not responded to the bloc’s goodwill gestures.”
Erdogan called on the European Union to abandon “strategic blindness” with respect to the eastern Mediterranean. He stressed that “the European Union should quickly get rid of strategic blindness … and not act towards the eastern Mediterranean at the whims of Greece and Cyprus.”
Erdogan explained that “Turkey, which has the longest coastal strip in the Mediterranean, cannot be content with watching developments in the region.” He added that his country “clearly stated that it will not recognize the plans and maps destined to seize him on the coast of Antalya.”
He noted that Turkey does not seek escalation in the eastern Mediterranean, but works to resolve differences in cooperation and fairly. And he added: “The solution to the Mediterranean problems is not to exclude some of us, but to bring together all the actors in the region at the negotiating table.” He stressed that his country’s proposal to organize a conference involving all the countries bordering the Mediterranean, including “Turkish Cyprus”, remained valid.
Not all members of the European Union agree on the feasibility of the sanctions, as some fear that the escalation of the confrontation could push the Erdogan government again to allow asylum seekers to leave Turkey to enter the European Union. , which means a new immigration and asylum crisis.
On Friday, European Council President Charles Michel, who will host the summit, expressed Europe’s frustration. “I think the game of cat and mouse should end,” Michel said, referring to Turkey’s repeated violations of gas exploration vessels in the disputed waters. “There will be a debate in the European Parliament on December 10 and we are ready to use all available means,” he added.
The Turkish president renewed the call to gather all parties around the negotiating table, including the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, which only Ankara recognizes.
And last month, Turkey returned the seismic survey vessel “Aruj Reis” to its port just as it did before a previous European summit. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that the European Union foreign ministers will discuss the adoption of measures against Turkey during their meetings, as there has been no reduction in the escalation of the conflict in the eastern Mediterranean in recent months. .
Maas added, before meeting with his bloc counterparts, “Germany has worked hard in recent months to facilitate dialogue between the European Union and Turkey … But there have been too many provocations and the tension between Turkey, Cyprus and Greece prevented any direct conversation “. “That is why we will talk about the consequences that we must impose,” he added.
Observers believe that the Turkish president’s speech will not intercede for him this time, especially since he deliberately flirted with the European Union more than once to avoid sanctions, then escalates again, prompting European Union leaders to reach out. to the necessary consensus to punish Ankara for its continued provocations, as well as the reality of human rights in Turkey under Erdogan.
