EU leaders hit out at Turkey’s ‘provocations’ in the Mediterranean

European Union leaders on Friday criticized Turkey for ratcheting up tensions with Cyprus and Greece after Ankara despatched a ship again into the east Mediterranean Sea on a brand new power exploration mission.

“We deplore the actions and unilateral provocations of Turkey,” European Council President Charles Michel informed reporters after chairing a summit of the 27-nation bloc’s leaders in Brussels.

Turkey redeployed its search vessel, Oruc Reis, close to the Greek island of Kastellorizo, reigniting tensions with Greece over sea boundaries and power drilling rights and casting doubt over the way forward for recent talks geared toward resolving the dispute. The final spherical of talks was held in 2016.

Turkey has additionally angered Cyprus with its choice to open the beachfront of the fenced-off suburb of Varosha within the divided island’s breakaway Turkish Cypriot north. At their summit in Brussels, leaders mentioned the EU “underlines the importance of the status of Varosha and reiterates its full solidarity with Greece and Cyprus.”

In the newest trade of barbs, Turkey, which is a candidate for EU membership, and Greece this week traded accusations about “provocations,” together with plans to carry navy drills within the Aegean Sea later this month to coincide with one another’s nationwide public vacation.

“I think that is very regrettable but also unnecessary — we should work on the positive aspects of our agenda instead. We have an interest in being able to go down the road we had intended to with Turkey, because developing EU-Turkey relations further is in the interest of both sides,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel mentioned.

Tensions between the 2 NATO allies, neighbors and historic rivals flared over the summer time and raised fears that open battle may escape.

Cyprus particularly has been pushing onerous for the EU to impose sanctions on Turkey. But on Friday, the leaders mentioned solely that they might “remain seized of the matter” and assess developments at their subsequent assembly on Dec. 10-11.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis famous that “Europe does not take decisions from one moment to the next. It is like an ocean liner which takes a slow turn. When it turns, it takes a course which is very stable in the new direction in which it has chosen.”

“Τhe point where we will have to make decisions will be December. I still hope that we will not have to do so. But no one should doubt that Europe has the determination to do so if Turkey continues these actions. And measures will be painful, not symbolic,” he mentioned.

Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hami Aksoy accused the EU of being insincere and unconstructive as an alternative of “encouraging a dialogue, reconciliation and an unconditional positive agenda.”

“It should be known that the language of threats will have no effect on Turkey,” Aksoy mentioned. “Instead of threatening Turkey, we expect the EU to present concrete and unbiased proposals that serve our common interests.”