Tensions in the Mediterranean: Europe between threats and dialogue with Turkey

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4 min

While tensions between Turkey and Greece in the eastern Mediterranean only increase, the European Union announced on Friday August 28 new sanctions to come if Ankara persists. These threats were immediately evacuated by Turkey. French President Emmanuel Macron invites "dialogue", only possible with "a series of preconditions" on the part of Turkey.

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The conflict between Turks and Greeks escalated further during the week with military maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea , where the two nations are fighting over the sharing of hydrocarbon resources on the seabed. European Union foreign ministers discussed these tensions for two days in Berlin. And at the end of this meeting, Josep Borrell again made a firm speech with regard to Turkey on Friday August 28.

New European sanctions at the end of September?

“  We are determined to defend the interests of the European Union and express our solidarity with Greece and Cyprus. Turkey must renounce unilateral actions  ”, declared the head of European diplomacy, for whom a gesture of calm by the Turkish clan is“  a basic condition to allow a dialogue to take place  ”.

The EU wants "to  give the negotiation a serious chance  " but considers that "   Turkey's behavior is causing growing frustration  ". And "  in the absence of progress  ", Josep Borrell threatens: "  We could draw up a list of new restrictive measures.  "

These measures could be discussed at the EU summit scheduled for September 24. The 27 could, for example, ban Ankara from using certain ports, or even seize certain ships involved in the drilling that annoys Athens so much. Threats that the spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry quickly swept aside. “  The EU's resort to the threat of sanctions does not help solve the problem,  ” Ham Aksoy said. According to him, Borrell's speech would even be such as to push Turkey to continue its work even more.

On the Eastern Mediterranean and Turkey, we are clear and determined in defending EU's interests and solidarity with Greece and Cyprus. We want to find paths towards a healthier relationship. It is in the mutual interest of both the EU and Turkey pic.twitter.com/uGQeqUkBqd

Macron wants to be firm but still sees Turkey as "a partner"

In the evening, Emmanuel Macron spoke in turn on the situation in the Mediterranean. The French president recalled that the 27 have “  a common position  ” on the conflict. And in his speech, he too oscillated between firmness and diplomacy. "  In recent years, the strategy which has been that of Turkey is not the strategy of a NATO ally  ," he remarked. And for the Head of State, “  it is clear that there are a series of prerequisites for re-engaging in a dialogue of confidence  ”.

In mid-August, France deployed two warships and two Rafale fighter jets to support Greece in the Mediterranean. “  I take full responsibility for what we did. (...) We have not deployed an armada in the Eastern Mediterranean, but we have simply said that we consider that the (Turkish) deployments are a provocation,  ”he explained.

Emmanuel Macron recalled that he had “  a long discussion with the  German Chancellor ” Angela Merkel, who came to visit him at Fort Brégançon . If Germany had adopted a more reserved position on the issue of tensions in the Mediterranean, it seems to be getting closer to its French ally. "  Germany and our partners are joining us to see that the Turkish agenda is problematic  ", declared the French president.

Today, he wants to be able to "  re-engage a possible relationship with Turkey  ", that he wants to be "  a partner on migration issues  ", "  a partner on energy issues  ", and "  a peaceful and peaceful partner  " which is "  in a customs union project with us  ".

(With AFP)

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• Turkey
• Greece
• European Union
• Emmanuel Macron
• Angela Merkel
• Recep Tayyip Erdogan

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